Tang Mu
by sarina-chan
Summary: One year after the Revenge series, Enishi meets a Chinese girl that ties in with his own past in Shanghai. (rated R for later chapters)
1. chapter 1

Tang Mu  
  
Chapter 1  
  
  
  
The pages are well worn. The parchment is dusty from the continued   
exposure to the harsh environment of Rakuminmura. I sit in my usual   
spot against a make-shift shack as I read my sister's diary for what   
must be the millionth time.   
  
'Onee-san…you were in love with him…?' I can't believe it. Then, why   
did she die? Did Battousai not return her love? Is that it? I look   
toward the transparent visage of my sister. She gives me a sad smile   
and fades as if she's leaving me to my thoughts.  
  
It has been a year since the revenge failed, yet there are still no   
answers. The lack of knowledge is driving into me like a virus. It   
eats away at my soul causing me to journey deeper into my insane   
confusion.  
  
"Hey! You can't come in here! Get away little girl!" My eyes switch   
their attention to the newcomer. She's struggling to get past the   
village's "bodyguards". The girl seems scared witless. She is   
babbling…at least, that's what everyone thinks she's doing. Somehow, I   
seem to catch a few words.  
  
"Qing! Bang wo!"  
  
"What the hell is she sputtering!? You understand her?" One man raises   
his hand as if he will strike her. She immediately flinches and waits   
for the blow. When it doesn't immediately come, she returns to her   
struggling.  
  
"I got no idea!"  
  
"Qing! Qing!! Qing ni bang wo!!" She looks desperate. Her face is   
pale, except for the bright red lipstick and growing black eye.   
Mandarin. She's speaking Mandarin. What is a little Chinese girl doing   
here?  
  
"Oi! Tang Mu! Where ya goin'?" Yakusa. By the look of their   
clothing, it looks like they just got off the boat. Eye candy? Is that   
what they called her? If they're from Shanghai, why are they speaking   
Mandarin? They have the wrong dialect for Shanghai. That's just weird.   
  
I take a look at the girl. Somehow, her face has paled even more. She   
is as her nickname implies. Her long black hair is pulled up in an   
ornate design that rivals the pleasure women of Shanghai's red-light   
district. She is petite and slender. Her black and gold dress fits   
snuggly to her figure. At first glance, she looks like she's about   
fifteen, but her eyes are much older. They are tired and scared, yet   
have a level of maturity that far exceeds the yakusa behind her.  
  
"Qing! Bang wo! Ni bang wo! Qing!!"   
  
"They don't know what you're saying Tang Mu." Oh, so they're sort   
of smart yakusa. They know the residents here don't speak Chinese, so   
they're using it for their own purposes. "Hey. This is our girl. She's   
not all there, ya know. If you'll kindly give her back to us, that   
would be great." They smile as they switch to Japanese.  
  
This doesn't concern me, but I find myself rising anyway. 'Onee-san…'   
There she is again. She's watching the girl struggle with a frown on   
her face. 'I see, so you want me to help.'  
  
"Ni hao…" I step forward. Everyone gasps. I haven't really spoken   
during the year that I've been here. At least, I haven't spoken to   
anyone but Oibore. He seems to have this way about him that demands   
you join in on his conversations. Who am I to deny him my noncommittal   
answers?  
  
Her face instantly lights up. She pushes her way through the crowd.   
They don't bother to stop her. They're all too shocked to hear me   
speak, not to mention in Chinese. "Help me! Please! They're very bad   
men! Don't believe them! They make me-"  
  
"Save it for later." I quiet her frightened rambling and turn to the   
yakusa. Smirking, I wade through the crowd making sure to speak in   
Mandarin so that no one can interrupt my interrogation. It seems one   
of the men recognizes me and gasps. I give him a particularly   
intimidating smirk as I push my glasses up on my nose. "You don't   
belong here."  
  
"G-give us back Tang Mu and we'll leave." One scrawny bastard   
thinks he can be smart with me. Is that it?  
  
"I don't feel like it. Leave."  
  
The same scrawny bastard takes a threatening step forward only to be   
stopped by the obvious leader. He stutters between the two languages,   
"no…We'll come back later for her! You better be ready Tang Gei Mu!   
We're bringing the weapons if we have to!" Weapons? Idiots. Like I   
don't know how to fend off my own weapons. I give the girl a quick   
glance. Her slanted eyes have widened with fear. Apparently, she's   
seen the so-called weapons.  
  
"They won't be back for a while. Relax for now." I give her a rare   
grin. For once, it's genuine. My sister is smiling at me. I did well.   
She's smiling a lot more lately. That fact is the only thing keeping   
me alive at the moment.  
  
"Duo xie…" She bows and stares at the ground. This definitely isn't a   
girl from the pleasure quarters. Then, why is she dressed like one? My   
sister glares in the direction the yakusa went. I see. So that's what   
the girl meant by "very bad men". Very bad men indeed.   
  
"Don't mention it…" I turn to go back to my usual spot, leaving her to   
do what she wants. A few of the other members of this little rundown   
village try to follow. They all look confused, like they don't know   
what to make of me rescuing a strange girl who can't speak their own   
tongue. I shoot them a predatory glare. No one will be bothering me   
today. I don't care what their questions are.   
  
"That was quite a show young man." Oibore sits next to me. He never   
was afraid of my glare like the other people. It was a constant   
annoyance when I just wanted to be alone.  
  
"What of it?" I pick up the diary again and leaf through the pages   
with rare disinterest.  
  
"Nothing. Nothing. That was just very nice of you." He lets a bird   
land on his finger and smiles. I wish these damn birds would leave me   
alone. They seem to be around a lot lately. I overheard, once, that   
the things only hung around Oibore. I heard from someone else that   
birds only hang around kind people. Man how wrong these ones were. I'm   
just a monster. Even if I did manage to do this one nice thing for   
this girl, I'm still just a murdering monster. My revenge didn't work.   
My sister stopped smiling at me because of some unknown reason. I   
kidnapped Battousai's woman. I made him think she was dead. I spent   
years dedicating my life to leading a weapons dealing operation.   
I'm just a monster.  
  
"Um…may I sit?" I look up to see the girl. Where did Oibore go? Numbly   
I nod and look away. "I don't speak Japanese. I can only talk to you."   
She has taken her hair down and wiped the lipstick from her lips. At   
least she looks a bit more comfortable now. I regard her for a moment   
before nodding again and looking away.  
  
"May I know the name of my rescuer?" Her voice is soft and high as is   
the custom for good Chinese women, or so I've heard. Silently, she   
brings her knees to her chest, but rethinks the idea when she realizes   
the slit on both sides of her skirt reveal a bit too much skin when   
her legs are in that position. She blushes profusely as if she hopes I   
didn't notice the clear view she just gave me. Of course, I did   
notice, but I choose not to let on.   
  
"Yukishiro Enishi. You?" My sister smiles for me. She seems very   
pleased with the introduction and almost seems to be laughing at my   
reluctance to be friendly.  
  
"Xu Liya…" She is silent for a moment. I can feel her watch me. Is she   
waiting for a reaction? A continuation of the conversation? "Thank you   
again for saving me. If there is anything you need in return, I will   
gladly give it to you…within reason of course."  
  
"I don't need anything." She smiles weakly and rises. Giving a small   
bow, she leaves me to my loneliness.  
  
"Hey, new girl! Hey!" The smell of dinner starts to permeate around   
the village. Nonchalantly, I regard how Liya is reacting to the men   
calling her. As I expected, she has no idea people are trying to get   
her attention. She's busily trying to find a place to stay for the   
night. Most of the good spots are taken. "Hey! New girl! Che! She   
can't hear me!"  
  
"She can't understand you. She doesn't speak Japanese." Once again, I   
find myself rising. A man has to eat at some point. "Liya! Dinner!" I   
call. She stands up from the spot she found and rushes over to the   
stew pot. She must be hungry. I wonder if those yakusa even fed her.   
Her body is a bit too thin to be very healthy.   
  
"What does she speak then?" I hear the man from before ask.  
  
"Chinese." I find myself offering her a seat beside me. After all, I   
am the only one here who speaks her language. I guess I'm going to   
have to force myself to be her interpreter for now.  
  
"Xie xie." She accepts the bowl of stew and chopsticks. Humbly, she   
begins to eat. It seems the others in the group have taken her   
response to be that of gratitude. They didn't look at me for a   
translation or anything.   
  
As expected, her hunger betrays her and she finishes her meal rather   
quickly. Her eyes dart around noticing the meagerness of the stew pot   
and the quantity of people eating. Tomoe coaxes me to give up my   
portion for her, but I am already almost finished eating. She does   
look like she needs the nourishment though. Others seem to notice this   
as well, but food is too scarce to act on this observation.  
  
Her eyes look hungrily at the food still left in the pot. Clenching   
her fists, seemingly to control herself, she rises and leaves the   
group. I watch her slowly make her way to the spot she found before.   
She sits and leans against a wall of some sort. Her legs curl up as   
the rest of her body descends to the ground. I guess she'll sleep off   
her hunger then.  
  
Briefly, I consider what she used to do while she was with the yakusa   
when they didn't feed her. Did they only feed her when she did what   
they asked? Did she often refuse their advances? Is that why she's so   
thin? She's obviously educated. Her speech patterns are very   
articulate. How did she come to be with those bastards? I vaguely   
remember the leader mentioning something about revenge. That's why I   
sold him the custom weapons as opposed to the cheaply made ones. He   
was speaking my language. Was she included in the revenge they were   
speaking of?  
  
Time will inform me. For now, I should sleep. I had been reading   
Tomoe's diary all day…again. It always makes me tired.   
  
* * *  
  
Author's Note:  
  
I only took Mandarin Chinese for one year...and I've been forced to  
take French this year...so I haven't taken Chinese for a while. If I  
wrote anything hideously off, please tell me.  
  
Qing = please  
bang = to help  
ni = you  
wo = I, me  
xie xie = thank you  
duo xie = many thanks  
tang = sugar, candy  
mu = eye  
  
I would like to thank Jason M. Lee for correcting my nickname for Liya.  
I will replace all of the 'Tang Gei Mu's with 'Tang Mu'. Thank you for  
the correction.  
  
yakusa = I figure this is a general term for gang, so that's what  
I'm using it for.  
  
xu liya = liya is the Chinese name my teacher gave me. It was supposed  
to match my given name, Carolyn Lea, and match me as a person.   
Li (beautiful) and ya (elegant) don't really match me, so I thought   
I'd create a character that does match the meanings of those words.   
xu means gentle. I hope she lives up to her name. 


	2. chapter 2

Tang Mu  
  
Chapter 2  
  
  
What is that sound? I wake to hear shrieking from the opposite side of   
the poor little village. No one else seems to be waking up. It's as if   
everyone is either afraid to do anything or is accustomed to the sound.  
Unfortunately, I cannot ignore this.  
  
Slowly, I rise and follow the desperate sounds. There is a rustle as   
if someone is thrashing. Is there a fight going on? A life struggle   
between two of the residents here? Surely, the sound can't be made by   
more than two people. It's just not loud enough. Is it? I'm scared.   
Maybe Michio and his men have come for me and some poor man has fallen   
victim. Damn them and their pride!  
  
No…I see a flash of platinum. White hair. Enishi? The man who saved me   
is thrashing about and screaming at the top of his lungs? Why? I kneel   
just far enough away to not get trampled. He is still asleep! What   
could he have gone through to be forced to deal with such a horrendous   
nightmare!?  
  
Without hesitance, I crawl over to him. Briefly, he seems to have   
settled. I take the opportunity to approach him. Perhaps I can comfort   
him. It would be a proper payment for his kindness earlier.  
  
He screams, shrill and desperate, in his almost childish attempts to   
break free from some unknown demon. His face is contorted with anguish.   
Though physically he looks older than me, he mentally appears to be a   
lost, pained child.  
  
Thrashing once more, his head rams into my leg. He freezes, scared out   
of his mind. Whimpering, he tries to shy away. My hand shakes as I   
reach for him. Gently, I rest my palm against his forehead. He is   
sweating profusely.   
  
His eyes shoot open, but it's obvious that he is not truly awake. I   
smile warmly. "Everything will be okay." I make soft shushing noises   
as he dazedly falls into me. Something tells me he would never do such   
a thing if he were awake. He really is just a lost child. I rest his   
head over my beating heart as a mother would her son. Almost instantly,   
he settles. Innocently, his right arm snakes around my waist while his   
left reaches so that he may grasp my dress. It is good to see him   
comfortable. I wish I could say the same for myself. I never was very   
good at sleeping while sitting up. Nonetheless, I still seem to be   
able to nod off.  
  
My head bows to rest upon his. Much to my drowsy amusement, he sighs   
in contentment. Finally, I am able to sleep in relative peace.  
  
* * *  
  
I wake to find that Enishi has moved during the night. His head is no   
longer against my chest, but resting heavily upon my shoulder. My legs   
are numb. The man is anything but light, especially when he has been   
on my lap all night. His arms are still around me. They are tighter   
than before as if he is frightened of losing the comfort I offered him.  
  
His eyes are opening. I can feel his lashes fluttering against my   
neck. "Tomoe…?" He is not fully awake yet I suppose. Who is this   
Tomoe? Slowly, he raises his head off my shoulder. A lethargic hand   
leaves my waist to brush the hair out of my eyes. He squints. All I   
can do is smile and wait for him to react.  
  
He doesn't seem to like what he sees. Quickly, he fully awakens and   
removes himself from my lap. Violently, I am pushed away. "What are   
you doing??"   
  
"You were screaming!" I flinch and wait for the blow. "I was   
comforting you! I'm sorry!"  
  
He stops and clutches his head as if he's in pain. Teal eyes open to   
stare blankly at me with the intensity of someone who is insane. I   
disregard the blood dripping from my lip. While I was with the gang,   
if I wiped blood I was beaten even more. Apparently, they were   
attracted to the brilliance of the red against my pale cheek. They   
always used to taunt me about the beauty of the colors my fair   
complexion could produce when hit hard enough.   
  
"Please forgive me! I did not mean to-"  
  
"Leave!" He continues to clutch his head as I run for safety. This is   
the man that saved my life? He was so kind yesterday. What happened?   
He did not like my comfort?  
  
* * *  
  
It has been a week now. Every night I hear him screaming. One would   
think I'd learn from my first mistake, but I can't sleep when he   
dreams like this. Each time, I find myself crossing the tiny village   
to offer him comfort. And each time, he immediately relaxes holding on   
to my frame for dear life. Each morning like before, he becomes angry   
and violently pushes me away. The only thing that has changed is the   
ferocity of his push. I no longer bleed. Therefore, he no longer has   
to deal with such a horrible migraine. Yes. I believe violence against   
a woman gives him such a splitting head ache.   
  
"I see we have a new comer." An old man invites himself to sit down   
beside me. I have no idea what he just said, but it didn't sound   
unkind. I smile and nod as I do to most of the people that try to talk   
to me here.  
  
"So it's true. You don't speak Japanese." He smiles politely and   
presses his hand to his chest. "I'm Oibore."  
  
"Oibore…" Did he mean that that's his name? I think so. I stare at him   
confused.  
  
"Yes," he nods. "You?" He points at me. He must want my name.  
  
"Liya…" I smile sweetly, no longer quite so confused. He grins back   
and takes my hand. I blush as he gives it a quick peck. He reminds me   
of my grandfather. Kind and eccentric.  
  
"Very pretty name."  
  
"Vely…pdittii…neem…?" I try to sound out what he just said. He only   
laughs. I must have said it wrong. Apologetically, I blush and look at   
my knees.  
  
He tries again. "Liya…pretty name…"  
  
"He means your name is pretty…" Enishi. So he's talking to me again. I   
nod enthusiastically.  
  
"Oh…na li na li!" I shake my head according to protocol. Never accept   
a compliment the first time. Apparently, the custom in Japan is   
similar to China. The elderly man smiles as if to say, "don't be so   
polite." I'm blushing again as I accept his compliment.  
  
Oibore chuckles and lets his gaze fall on the white haired man   
standing in front of me. I look up at him from my seated position.   
Normally, I would get up and offer him my seat. It is my place to do   
so, but he bruised me this morning and I don't feel like moving the   
muscle just yet.   
  
"Oh good! You speak her language! I wanted to ask her something. You   
can translate for me." He grins at the two of us and motions for   
Enishi to sit. Reluctantly he does so. His intense gaze falls on me. I   
can feel my face get hot from the relentless staring. Not even the men   
of the gang stared at me like this. It's quite unnerving.  
  
"I was wondering," Enishi begins to repeat Oibore's words in Chinese,   
"you go to this man each night and he just pushes you away. Doesn't it   
hurt you to be rejected like that? Why do you do it?" I am taken back   
by his abrupt question. By the frustrated expression on my   
'translators' face, he is as well.   
  
I blush. "Yes. It does hurt. I am bruised. But he screams every night   
and I can't sleep. I seem to be the only one willing to calm him."   
Well, it is true. Enishi doesn't seem like the man that would take   
kindly to pity, so I can only tell half the truth. Call it woman's   
instinct to comfort a wailing child. Even if that child is most likely   
older.  
  
"Is this true?" He lowers his head. I don't even bother to look at the   
mop of white hair that just spoke. Where did Oibore go? He was here a   
minute ago. Ah, he is exactly like my grandfather. Sparks conversation,   
then leaves when the objects of his matchmaking begin to talk.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"I hurt you? And you only meant to comfort me so that you could sleep?   
It wasn't for pity? Or because of what the yakusa taught you?"  
  
"I am bruised, but I don't bleed like the first time you pushed me   
away. I can handle bruises. The yakusa, as you say, did not teach me   
to comfort. They taught me to please. I comfort you because I want to."   
I know my smile is weak, but at least my expression isn't as pitiful   
as his. He looks as if he has just been scolded by his mother. Perhaps   
he has.  
  
"Enishi! It's your turn to go into town!" One of the men yells from   
the communal stew pot. With a smirk, the lonely tiger rises and offers   
me his hand. It appears he has been asked to do something. I have no   
idea what was just said, but the other man is holding out a bag. I   
assume there is a chore that must be attended to.  
  
"You will go with me into town. If you're there, the cops won't bother   
me. And you need something else to wear. No one here knows I have   
money, so I end up playing all day and coming back with a lot." I nod   
and take his hand. He helps me up and frowns when I wince. Well, I did   
tell him that he bruised me.  
  
* * *  
  
Author's Notes:  
  
yakusa = I'm taking it to be a general term for a gang.  
  
Michio = according to my name reference page, this means: man with  
strength of three thousand. I thought it would explain the guy's big  
ego.  
  
na li na li = I'm not sure exactly what it means, but my teacher told  
me that the term is used as a general way to not accept a compliment.  
Yes, it is considered rude to accept a compliment the first time you  
recieve one from a person. They have to tell you "don't be so polite"  
before you can accept it...or so my teacher told me. She is from  
Taiwan, so I'm taking her word for it. 


	3. chapter 3

Tang Mu  
  
Chapter 3  
  
  
I hurt her. Onee-san isn't too happy with me. She was just being nice.   
Why do I always do that? 'I'm sorry Onee-san. I won't hurt her   
anymore.' She smiles at that and fades away.  
  
To my right, Liya is busy watching the townspeople scurry about. I   
wish I didn't have to do this once a week. For obvious reasons, I'm   
not very well liked. People eye me suspiciously. It's a good thing I   
have so much money. Otherwise, I'd never bring back anything to the   
village.  
  
"Would you like to visit the bath house?" I don't normally spend my   
money on anything other than food for the village, but today I will   
make an exception. Onee-san wants me to atone for hurting her. I have   
to do my best to make Tomoe smile.  
  
Liya gives me a sheepish grin as I lead her to a store. Though her   
dress is very pretty, something tells me she would be more comfortable   
in something else. Besides, I doubt she will want to get back into   
that after she has bathed. I think she wants to fit in somewhat. Maybe   
I should try teaching her Japanese so that she can communicate with   
other people besides just me.  
  
Her eyes light up when she beholds the endless array of silk kimonos.   
I give her an increasingly less rare warm smile and gesture for her to   
pick out any one she wants. "S-sir…welcome…" I nod at the shop keeper.   
He continues to stutter as if I'm going to blow the place up at any   
moment. I don't blame him for thinking so low of me. After all, I am a   
monster.  
  
She picks up a red houmangi that fades into white at the bottom. Black   
silhouettes of sakura adorn the design giving it a delicate style. I   
like it. The color suits her. I cross the shop to let her show it to   
me, even if I could see it just fine from where I was. "Help her.   
She's foreign."  
  
The man rushes to do as he is told. He guides her to the white under   
kimonos instructing her to pick one of these as well. She gives him a   
confused look. It will be amusing to watch how he explains this to a   
person who doesn't speak his language. As I suspected, his voice rises   
in volume. It always makes me laugh when people think foreigners are   
deaf. He points at the white nagajuban several times and nearly shouts   
at her to pick one out. Her eyes go from the beautiful garment in her   
hand to the plain whiteness of the silk the man is pointing to. She   
has no idea what's going on.  
  
"The white one goes underneath the colored one." Her eyes register my   
words causing her to nod and smile at the man. He seems confused at   
the words coming out of her mouth. "She is apologizing for her   
stupidity." Even though she's not stupid. Yes. I will have to teach   
her at least a little bit of Japanese.  
  
* * *  
  
"Kaoru! Did you see that??"  
  
"Enishi!? What is he doing here??" Kaoru gasps as Yahiko readies   
himself for a possible battle. The mentioned man leads a young woman   
into a nearby shop. Uncharacteristically, he has a gentle expression   
on his face.  
  
"He is fine Anata. He did not come here to fight, that he did not."   
Kenshin smiles at his brother-in-law as his wife fumes. She wants to   
see what he's doing with this girl in the tight dress. It's painfully   
obvious what his wife is thinking.  
  
"But why is he in town!? And why aren't the police arresting him!?"   
Kaoru is already sneaking towards the shop to spy on the two.  
  
"He comes here every week. In Rakuninmura, one person is sent to town   
to beg for money and food. Enishi probably stored some money away, so   
he doesn't have to beg. He never had any intention of keeping his   
operation going once he got his revenge. The police have taken   
control of most of his earnings, but sessha is sure he hid a good   
portion. Saitoh does not arrest him on sight because he does not   
consider Enishi to be a threat anymore. He is keeping an eye on him   
and nothing more. As soon as he shows signs of being a threat, he will   
be arrested again." Kenshin tries to push his wife and her student   
along, but they remain rooted to their position.   
  
"Stop it Kenshin! Don't you want to know what he's up to with that   
floozy!!? She's wearing a pretty tight dress! Yahiko don't look!" She   
stares at the young samurai with steam coming out of her ears. The   
boy's eyes are transfixed on the young woman walking with the white   
haired man. "And what do you mean by him coming here every week!? You   
see him every week?? Kenshin!"  
  
"Like Sessa said, people take turns every day coming to town to beg.   
Enishi brings back a lot of food, so he is sent once a week. He has   
his own money, so he comes to town buys food and reads all day. That   
is all he does." The woman and young man face fault making Kenshin   
laugh nervously and scratch the back of his neck. "Eheh…Sessha   
supposes he could check up on him a little…Sessha is a bit curious…"  
  
"How do you know all this Kenshin?" Yahiko rips his eyes from the girl   
long enough to look suspiciously at his mentor.  
  
"I owe it to Tomoe-dono to keep an eye on her little brother."  
  
* * *  
  
Kenshin and his two companions absently sift through the clothes near   
the front of the store. If Enishi looks their way, they can simply   
hide on the other side of the wall. The former Hitokiri isn't as naïve   
however. He knows his brother-in-law can sense them, but he also knows   
nothing will come of it. As long as they keep their distance, nothing   
will happen.   
  
"What are they saying?" Kaoru whispers in Kenshin's ear. Violet eyes   
flutter briefly. She will have to be reminded of what that does to   
him…later. "I can hear them…I think. But I can't understand them."  
  
"Being a business man, Sessha is sure Enishi knows many languages. The   
girl is wearing a traditional Chinese dress. Sessha has seen them   
before. She is probably from somewhere around there." He smiles and   
watches his wife relax a little.  
  
* * *  
  
My bastard brother-in-law is watching me. As is his odd family. It   
bothers me. I have to fight the urge to charge him, but I force myself   
to look at my sister's image. Her face is neutral. What's that   
supposed to tell me? Figure it out on my own? I guess that's it. It   
looks like Battousai will be getting off the hook today.  
  
Liya is calling me. She's not too sure about the obi. This will be   
amusing to say the least. "Here." I pick out a random choice. She   
scrunches her nose. Apparently, it doesn't match. I wouldn't know.   
"You tie it around your waist and make it look pretty in the back."   
I grab her by the waist and turn her around. Carefully, I attempt to   
wrap the obi around her form. Instinctively, she raises her arms   
slightly to let me work. She turns her head, almost straining to see   
what I'm doing to her back. Her giggle catches me off guard. "What?" I   
continue my meaningless attempts at tying a woman's obi.  
  
"You're tickling me." She giggles again and tries to reach behind   
herself to stop my hands, but I'm not done tying this damn thing.  
  
"Idiot. He's tying it married woman style." I heard that. Doesn't that   
woman remember how good my hearing is? It was only a year ago that I   
kidnapped her. How am I supposed to know how to tie a stupid obi?  
  
"He ties obis about as bad as you cook, Busu!" I close my eyes and   
force myself not to throttle the kid. From the surge of ki coming from   
the said Busu, she must be doing the same thing. I do vaguely remember   
her having a pretty bad temper. If this boy is her student, I feel bad   
for him. But he does have a point, her cooking is pretty bad.  
  
"Well, you get the idea." I give up.  
  
"I see. Like knot art." Not quite, but close enough. I shrug. As long   
as she gets the idea, I'm fine. The two behind me are still laughing   
and fuming. I need something to take my mind off of them. Brushing her   
hands away from the offensive article of clothing, I remove the obi   
myself making sure to tickle her a bit. Her innocent laughter will do   
just nicely for taking my mind off of the idiots making fun of me.  
  
Much to my astonishment, her giggling turns into laughter. So this is   
what happens when I purposely tickle someone. Just for good measure, I   
do it some more. She's laughing so hard, she begins to bend at the   
waist to try to break free. I find that I like this reaction and   
continue my onslaught. I also find that I especially like this   
reaction when she is so close to me. I have never been with a woman   
like this before. It almost seems like this is better than the women I   
was with while I was in charge of the weapons organization. They were   
there simply to please me and nothing more. Most likely, much like   
what Liya was accustomed to with the yakusa. This is much different   
though. She is enjoying herself as well now.  
  
"Pervert…Yahiko don't look. Yahiko!" So, I'm a pervert for liking the   
sound of her voice when she laughs? I doubt she's been given the   
chance to laugh, or even giggle, since she was with the yakusa. This   
is as good for her as it is for me. Why does that make me a pervert?   
Is it her physical reaction while she's laughing and my obvious   
enjoyment of that physical reaction that makes me a pervert? It   
doesn't matter. I let her go. I am not a pervert.  
  
She giggles one last time and blushes. My hand tugs at the obi letting   
it slip off her frame as I smile back. "Go and put it on, so I can buy   
it for you." She nods cutely and rushes to a nearby changing room.   
  
"How much?" I turn to the shop keeper. He looks surprised that I'm not   
just stealing his goods. I don't steal kimonos. That's stupid. I take   
out my purse and glare at him from over my glasses. Waiting. He still   
seems shocked. His mouth opens and closes as if he's afraid to tell me   
the price. I take out several coins and let them jingle in my hand.   
"How much? I'm not going to ask you again." He continues to stutter,   
so I toss him an over-estimated amount and cross the store to wait for   
Liya to finish changing.  
  
"He actually paid! That's surprising!" Surprising? You don't know me   
woman.  
  
"Now now. He's a business man himself. He's not like Sanosuke. He has   
no reason not to pay." How dare Battousai know me so well. This is   
just odd. I wish she would hurry up. I need to get away from these   
people before I kill one of them. I don't want to see Onee-san glare   
at me if that happens, so I have to get away before I do anything.  
  
"Are you almost done?"  
  
"I suppose so. This sash is very hard to tie. I don't think I got it   
right." I don't even bother to warn her as I pull open the curtain.   
Suppressing a laugh, I regard the poor job she has done at dressing   
herself. Apparently, the many aspects involved with wearing kimonos   
confused her. It looks like she randomly picked articles and tied it   
all together.  
  
She blushes and laughs at herself. "I look pretty pathetic. Don't I?   
The clothes in this country are very hard to wear." I never realized   
this until now. She does look very funny.  
  
Knowing full well how risqué it looks, I dare to close the curtain   
behind me. "Do you trust me?" She blushes and nods. Once again, her   
arms are raised so that I can do what I need to do to dress her. I   
slowly untie the mismatched chords and sashes. After all, I don't want   
to scare her. My eyes catch the many bruises coloring her skin. She   
has been hit many times. They are all healing, but slowly. Probably   
due to such a meager diet.  
  
"What are they doing in there?"  
  
"You don't want to know Yahiko..." If Battousai doesn't shut his woman   
up soon, I will do it for him.  
  
Quickly, I finish showing her how to put on the kimonos and guide her   
out of the dressing room. Someone else can teach her how to tie the   
damn obi. Obviously, I'm not any good at it. "You!" I try to catch the   
attention of the wide-eyed shopkeeper. Apparently, he's been counting   
the money I gave him.  
  
"Yes, sir!" He's a lot more attentive now. That's good.  
  
"Could you show her how to tie this? I'll translate for you if you   
need it." He nods enthusiastically. He's very attentive. I must have   
paid him quite a bit too much. Trotting, he retrieves a small scroll.   
It has pictures on it of several different tying styles.   
  
"You're wife is young. Does she still want a young woman style?"  
  
"She is not my wife." My sister urges me on with a soft smile. "Just a   
good friend." Tomoe's smile widens. Friend. I've never really had any   
friends. No one ever dared to get that close to me. She's obviously   
not running away screaming yet. I suppose she is my friend.  
  
"I see." He points to the styles she can pick from. After seeking   
approval from me, she finally picks one out. The simplest design she   
could find. Simple. I never realized so much went into wearing these   
seemingly simple garments. The shopkeeper points to several   
accessories. Apparently, these are necessary as well.  
  
"Too much. I don't want to spend all your money." She's not too sure   
about this, but I remember watching Tomoe get ready for the day when I   
was younger. These seemingly stupid accessories are necessary if a   
woman wishes to keep her obi on, so to speak. She deserves it anyway,   
so I shake it off and tell her to pick out what she needs.  
  
"Those are new! I've never seen them before! Kenshin can I get one   
too?" That poor man. Perhaps he doesn't need to experience my revenge   
anymore. He already has his hands full.   
  
"But Kaoru, we don't have that much money. You said so yourself, that   
you did. And if you don't be quiet, Enishi will surely hear you. Do   
you want that?" Her mouth clamps shut. Good. Now I won't have to kill   
her.   
  
"Do I owe you extra?" I produce my purse from my pocket again. The   
shopkeeper shakes his head.  
  
"No. You gave me more than enough before. In fact, here is your change   
sir." I see. I did give him way too much. Nodding, I lead Liya out of   
the shop. She looks a lot more comfortable now that she fits in.   
Perhaps she would want Japanese shoes. A vision goes through my head   
of how she would walk with wooden sandals on. Scratch that idea. Her   
Chinese slippers will do fine.  
  
"What is that smile for?" She giggles noticing the amusement on my   
face.  
  
"Nothing. You look comfortable now." Blushing, she mutters under her   
breath.  
  
"Don't be so polite around me. I don't need it." The redness on her   
cheeks deepens in color.   
  
"You spent too much on me. I don't know how to repay you. I have no   
money." I take her hand. The police are eyeing me more suspiciously   
than normal. Perhaps if I appear to be 'with' Liya, they'll leave me   
alone. I don't know why. Just…married men seem to get away with a bit   
more. It's not working though. In fact, they seem even more suspicious   
now. Do they think I kidnapped her or something?  
  
"Don't worry about it. Let's get you to that bath house." I tug Liya   
along with me. Apparently, she was already doing a good job of keeping   
up. My tug only made her smack into me from behind.  
  
Her hand gently presses against my back as she mutters an apology. She   
didn't need to apologize. It was my fault after all, but that's   
alright. It doesn't matter. She'll get over that eventually.  
  
* * *  
  
Author's Notes:  
  
Onee-san = older sister (I'm guessing. If it's wrong, please tell me.)  
anata = wife (another guess.)  
sessha = I've been told that this is kenshin's over polite way of  
saying 'I'.  
-dono = I've also been told this is an over polite/older version of  
'-sama'  
  
I got the very helpful Kimono info from a few websites actually.  
http://jin.jcic.or.jp/kidsweb/virtual/kimono/top.html  
http://www.asahi-jc.com/kimofaq.htm#inst  
http://www.kikimimi.ne.jp/www/sortie/Ekimono.htm  
  
A houmangi is a kimono that can be worn by both married and unmarried  
women. it's known for its bright colors and designs that adorn the  
sleeves and back. It's usually worn for formal to semi-casual events.  
  
Nagajuban is the thin, white kimono worn underneath the colorful top  
kimono. It serves as underwear.  
  
obi is the sash that is worn on top of the kimonos. there are many ways  
to tie an obi. married women use a single simple style, but unmarried  
women can be as ornate as they want with it.  
  
There is more involved with the kimono than I thought. It took ten   
pages just to describe the steps involved with putting on the  
nagajuban. Ten to show how to put on the outer kimono. And at least  
twenty to show how to tie the simple married woman's obi. There are  
a ton of neccessary accessaries involved as well. I thank those  
websites for giving me this knowledge. 


	4. chapter 4

Tang Mu  
  
Chapter 4  
  
I just got into the clothes and he wants me to get out of them? But…it   
would feel nice to be as clean as what I'm wearing. He is doing far   
too much for me. Perhaps this is his way of apologizing for bruising   
me all week. In any case, he is doing too much. I don't deserve this.   
For five years now, I've been nothing but a pleasure girl. I am   
undeserving of such kindness.  
  
"There should be other women here who can help you with your clothes."   
He grins and briefly teaches me how to ask for help while giving me   
some money. We will be separated here. I will not have his knowledge   
while I am bathing. I am both relieved and nervous about this   
revelation.  
  
(Kenshin grabs his wife's ponytail. "Hold it! Sessha told you. We   
don't have the money. You will have to wait until they come out to see   
more, that you will." Kaoru scowls at the man, but gives in.)  
  
I am nervous. All these women know each other. I have no idea what   
anyone is saying. I'm completely in the dark here, but the steam   
coming from the other room calls to me. I step into what must be an   
entrance of some kind. There are small buckets with shoes in them. I   
guess I must remove my shoes. I have noticed this a lot. Every place   
has somewhere to put your shoes. I guess it is a custom here. It makes   
sense. This way the floor doesn't get dirty with dirt from outside.  
  
Women are staring at me. I have never felt more foreign than right now.   
What do I do? I observe for a brief moment. People have buckets,   
towels, things to wash with. I have nothing. Perhaps that is where the   
money comes in to play.  
  
"Hello…" I stop a woman. She is looking at me funny. "Um…" How do I   
say this? I point and give her a questioning expression. I hope she   
understands. How did Enishi say that? "I don't…s-speak…"  
  
"Oh…you're not from around here huh? Here. Let me help you." She takes   
me by the hand. I guess it worked! Thank the gods! I am taken to a   
small counter. The woman speaks rapidly in Japanese. All the things I   
need are set on the counter by a bath house worker.   
  
"Do you have money?" I don't understand. I stare at her. I'm confused   
again. She takes out a couple coins from her purse and shows them to   
me. Ah! I see. Yes. I nod. I have money. "What's your name honey?"   
That word. It's the same thing Oibore said when I met him. When he   
told me I had a pretty name.  
  
"Liya? Ni.ne?" No. she doesn't understand Chinese! It is her turn to   
be confused. I make a frustrated sound and try again. "Liya." I rest   
my hand on my chest. Then, I gesture toward her and nod. Hopefully,   
that will work.  
  
"Oh! Noriko." We smile at each other as I hand the worker my money. I   
know I gave too much. Hopefully, the worker won't jip me with the   
change. I will have to have faith.  
  
* * *  
  
I wonder how she's faring. Most likely, she's already getting   
frustrated. She's smart though. She'll figure things out. I pay the   
employee for my supplies and proceed to the changing room. I haven't   
had a good bath in a while. I wonder if this bath cleans your clothes   
like that one in Kyoto does. I guess I'll find out.  
  
Damn. It doesn't, but it comes close. You have to wash your own   
clothes, but at least they have spots to hang them up to dry. This is   
going to be interesting.  
  
* * *  
  
There are so many shameless women here. They're all naked as the day   
they were born, but no one seems embarrassed. This tiny towel isn't   
doing much to cover my own body. Everyone is staring at me.  
  
"Liya…you have so many bruises!" She gestures to my injuries. I smile   
and wave her off. This is very embarrassing. And to make matters   
worse, I don't get to hide under the water yet. Bathing is separate   
from soaking. At least the thick lather will provide some sort of   
protection against this incessant staring I can't seem to get away   
from.  
  
I bathe quickly, yet thoroughly. My body feels lighter now that all   
the grime is off of it. This is a nice feeling. The feeling of being   
clean. I like this.  
  
* * *  
  
I haven't let myself relax this much in a long time. This is certainly   
a step up from where I was before. You were right Onee-san. Liya has   
been good for me. It's only been a week and I am already feeling very   
relaxed. Now if only this confusion regarding the Battousai would go   
away.  
  
He is obviously a different man now. Not a bloodthirsty killer. He has   
managed to find happiness with that Kamiya girl. I wish I could attain   
such happiness. I'm too much of a monster to get it though. Of course,   
so is he. Why is he happy and I am not? It's not fair Onee-san. I   
close my eyes to see Tomoe. She makes an attempt to brush my hair out   
of my face and smiles sadly at me. 'It's just not fair…'  
  
* * *  
  
"I don't…Help…?" I hold up the kimono and a colored chord or two.   
Maybe Noriko will help me again. She has sort of taken me under her   
wing. If she is not already married, she will make a good wife some   
day. She's very patient.  
  
"Let me guess. Her boyfriend bought her that and she has no idea how   
to put it on."  
  
"You got it." Noriko takes hold of the articles of clothing and sifts   
through them. Her eyes glitter. I think she likes them. They are very   
pretty. Exquisite silk and such a delicate pattern. I like them much   
better than my dress, but my dress is easier to put on so I will keep   
it. It is also easier to take off, as the gang's boss found out three   
years ago when he bought it for me.  
  
"Liya…" She gently prods. I turn my attention back to the dear woman.   
Slowly, she holds up each article, presenting it as she tucks and ties   
it into the proper place. I have been moved to a long mirror so that I   
can see what is happening in the back. Her fingers are very skilled. I   
hope to be able to do this some day with as much ease as she is able   
to.  
  
Her friend giggles at the intensity of my watchful gaze. "I think   
she's learning Noriko-chan. Is she married?" The obi is presented to   
me. I smile and nod my understanding.  
  
"No. She blushed when she entered the bathing area. A married woman   
would not blush quite as much." They giggle, I assume, at my expense.   
That's alright though. I deserve it. I don't know anything about this   
place. It is normal for a foreigner to be laughed at. I don't mind.   
"Let's give her the obi-musubi! We can make her pretty for her   
boyfriend." They seem to be enjoying making me pretty. I feel a bit   
like their doll, but that is also alright. I kind of like being   
primped for once. The gang boss had the prostitutes primp me for him   
and his men. I hated it. They made me look like a little whore. These   
women are much nicer. They are making me look my age and making me   
look proper. I feel much more at ease in their hands.  
  
"Liya…are you paying attention?" Noriko's friend taps my shoulder. I   
smile at her and watch how to make the obi look like a flowering   
side-ways bow. It's very elaborate, but it looks very nice. I will try   
my best to learn how to do this by myself. Before my parents were   
killed, I prized myself on my knot art techniques. Hopefully, this   
won't be much harder to perfect than that.  
  
Someone is brushing my hair. I never asked for this much attention. I   
feel like a princess. It's Noriko's friend. They are being far too   
nice to me. I will have to thank them somehow. I don't want to insult   
them with money, but there must be something I can do. I haven't done   
my knots in a while. Maybe I can make them something. I will have to   
have Enishi show me where the chord shops are. But I don't have any   
money. I don't want him paying for my gift to these women. I need to   
thank him even more than Noriko and her friend. Too many debts and   
I've only been here a week.  
  
"Is your boyfriend waiting for you outside?" I don't understand. What   
did she say? I look to Noriko. She smiles and waves off her friend's   
attempt to communicate. I guess whatever they asked has already been   
answered.  
  
"She doesn't speak Japanese, Sakura. We will see when we all exit   
together."   
  
He's not here yet. What do I do now? I look around at all the people   
in the street. Not one looks like Enishi. "Liya…Do you want to walk   
around with us?" Noriko's hand gestures to the shops nearby. I guess,   
if we stay near to the bath house, it's okay to go with her.  
  
"Duo xie…" I give her a slight bow and smile. She and her friend did   
so much for me. I know they don't understand what I just said, but it   
makes me feel better that I at least said it. They giggle and bow.  
  
"Oh…Liya!" Noriko points to her friend. "Sakura." So her name is   
Sakura. Very pretty name.  
  
"Sakura…" I nod and smile as we walk to the nearest shop.  
  
* * *  
  
I glare at my clothes. They're still not even close to being dry. I at   
least want them to be no more than damp before I put them on.   
Hopefully, Liya has found some friends or has decided to do some minor   
exploring on her own. This'll be a while.  
  
The bath fires have allowed the clothes to dry somewhat rapidly, but   
they're still not drying fast enough. Luckily, no one's stuff is going   
to get burned. This bath house is pretty resourceful to have a safe   
spot near the fires like this.  
  
* * *  
  
Oh, silk chords! I can do knots with these! But…no money. I close my   
eyes and pray to the gods to give me luck. I will pay Enishi back   
soon. My skilled fingers choose two long strands of red silk chord.   
These will do very nicely. Smiling, I hand the store keeper a few   
coins. She blinks and hands me back half.  
  
I am called over to a small booth. Quickly, I join the two women.   
Chopped ice? With syrup? They have that in Japan!? I used to love when   
mama made this! "I'll pay this time Sakura! Don't worry about it!"   
Before I can say anything Noriko pays for three shaved ices. I blush   
and thank her as best I can. Too much. These people are too kind. I   
need to find a place to make my knots so that I can properly thank   
them.   
  
Luckily, we sit at a small table by the water. It's very peaceful   
here. I am liking this place more and more. My new friends watch with   
fascination as I twist and weave a chord around two of my fingers. I   
haven't lost my touch after five years. This will be a satisfactory   
gift for now. I pull it tight and make quick work of a pair of slider   
knots. One is done. I begin the other and end it just as quickly. Why   
are they clapping? It wasn't that hard.  
  
I smile and hand each of the women one 'endless knot' necklace.   
Bowing, I use this to show my gratitude for their help in the bath   
house and for the shaved ice treat. They have accepted them with awe.   
I don't deserve such praise. It was really a very simple gift.  
  
"I see you found friends." I look up to see Enishi. Smiling, I nod and   
turn to my friends. They are staring at him with suppressed horror.   
What is this all about?   
  
"…Enishi…meet Noriko and Sakura. They helped me in the bath house." He   
smirks. Light teal eyes fall on my gifts. Nodding his approval, he   
speaks to the women. They don't seem to let their guard fall entirely,   
but they don't look like they're going to run away anymore. In fact,   
they just look very surprised.  
  
"I did not come here to hurt anyone. Thank you for helping her." They   
nod shakily. Black eyes dart from him to me as if they're asking me   
how I ended up with a man like him. Enishi whispers in my ear. Ah! So   
that's how you say it!  
  
"Ari…Arigatou…" I manage with a slight bow.  
  
* * *  
  
Author's Notes:  
  
Ni.ne = more or less 'And you?' (Mandarin)  
  
arigatou = thank you (Japanese)  
  
Kimono stuff again:  
http://www.kikimimi.ne.jp/www/sortie/Ekimono.htm  
The obi-musubi is really pretty. It's apparently used often for the  
coming of age (20 yrs old) ceremony. Liya is twenty, but no one knows   
this yet. Noriko and Sakura chose this tying method simply because   
it's pretty and it stands for happiness. It looks like a fluffy bow   
that is turned diagonally.   
  
I thank this website:  
http://www.ainj.com/public_bath.htm  
for it's wonderful info on Japanese public baths. For the sake of the  
story I took some liberties with it. Such as, I thought it would be  
pretty gross for Enishi to put on his dirty clothes after he took a  
bath. That's okay though. I'm sure people can deal with the artistic  
license.  
  
Chinese knotting is a very pretty art form:  
http://www.knottingartist.com/  
I have no idea how to do it, but I wish I could. 


	5. chapter 5

Tang Mu  
  
Chapter 5  
  
She smells clean now. Is that sakura? One of the women must have given  
her some of their perfume. It's nice. My self-acquired gifts are   
becoming wanted again. My sense of smell was the worst of all my   
gifts. The scent of sewage and blood can get on one's nerves very   
quickly to say the least. Her natural smell is very relaxing though.   
You are making me spoil myself Onee-san.  
  
"What do we do now that we're clean?" Her voice startles me. What do   
we do now? Onee-san? I guess I have to make my own choice again. I let   
my eyes fall on Liya. She is beaming. Her eyes sparkle like a young   
girl who has found a prize she is not sure she should have but is   
happy nonetheless.  
  
I have been staring at her too long. She's blushing again. Almost   
nervously, she licks her lips reminding me of her nutritional needs.   
Food. "I guess we go and eat." I hate visiting the Akabeko, but I   
doubt the more expensive restaurants will suit her. She's getting   
frustrated with all the money I'm spending.  
  
"I'm sorry. I borrowed two coins for the chords to make the 'endless   
knot' necklaces-"  
  
"It's okay." I grin at her politeness.  
  
"I will find a way to pay you back someday." Now that wasn't in her   
usual polite tone. She was telling me forcefully what she was going to   
be doing. I guess I can't argue with that, so I nod as we enter the   
Akabeko.  
  
("They're actually going to eat at Ms. Tae's!? He blew up the first   
one!" Kenshin sighs at his wife's indignation. "I guess we have no   
choice but to eat out today, that we do not." "Yahiko's working now. I   
hope he doesn't get into any trouble." Both cringe and rush to the   
restaurant.)  
  
"Welcome! Two? Right this way!" Ms. Tae still has no idea that I   
caused the destruction of the original shop. I plan to keep it that   
way. She is the only one in town that continues to treat me decently.   
Well I guess that includes that kimono shop keeper now as well.  
  
We sit at the designated table and wait for the waitress. I hope it's   
Ms. Tae. I think she and Liya would get along. Strangely, I like the   
idea of her having friends she can count on besides me. Ms. Tae is   
patient and kind.  
  
"You…" It's the brat from the Kamiya place. I close my eyes and will   
myself not to kill the child. Liya is completely clueless as to what's   
happening, but she has the knowledge to understand his tone. He's   
scaring her. I think he's making her be frightened of me as well. I   
don't want that. I don't want her to be scared of me. I like having   
her around.  
  
"I did not come here to fight. I came here to eat." I clench my fists   
upon my knees. Liya is worried. I think she noticed my dangerous ki.   
Try to settle yourself. Don't scare her. Don't make her run away.  
  
"I don't care. You don't belong here…bastard…" He is keeping his voice   
low so that he doesn't cause trouble. 'He has every right to be   
angry,' I keep telling myself. It has become a mantra. I destroyed his   
life for a time and now I return, even if it is to make Liya happy and   
see Onee-san smile.  
  
"If you won't feed me," I say through clenched teeth, "at least feed   
my companion. She is starving." He should at least do that much.   
  
"I won't feed your whore!" His voice has raised. Liya flinches.  
  
"Qing…ni.men wu xi…ni wo.men rang chi…Qing…" Her voice is softer than   
usual. Her fists are clenched. Lips quiver with fear and pain.   
"Qing…wo bu shi biao…wo liang…ni.men wu xi…" How dare this brat call   
her a whore! My clenched fists begin to draw blood. I am losing my  
control. The small red stream flows from my palm staining my pants.  
  
'Onee-san help. What do I do?' She frowns at Yahiko. 'Do you want me   
to kill him? What about the police? And Battousai?' She frowns at me.   
No killing. She doesn't want me to kill anymore. I see. 'I will inform   
him of his mistake then.'  
  
"You have scared her. I cannot forgive that." My metallic teal eyes   
fall upon him with the wrath of my past destructive force. "I did not   
come here to fight, but if you call her a whore again I will. She is   
not, nor will she ever be a whore!"  
  
Liya flinches again. Her eyes are cast down. I don't want to see her   
like this anymore. This hurts to see her unhappy. Her smile is as   
important as Onee-san's. "bu…gaishou…wo bu shi gaishou!" She   
understood that? The yakusa! They must have taught her that! She's  
crying now. I've never seen her cry once during this week that I've   
known her! The brat made her cry!  
  
My eyes widen in hate. I can't control it anymore. No one will make   
her frown, let alone cry! I don't care how young this brat is!   
Onee-san! Why are you frowning at me?? Please! Let me hurt him!   
Please! No! Stop frowning! I have to make him pay! Battousai is   
getting up. I have to make him pay too! All of the brat's saviors will   
pay! This can't be ignored! Don't you see that Onee-san!? Please!   
Don't frown on me!  
  
A hand. When did I stand up? When did I grab the brat? That hand.   
"Qing…Enishi…ni wu xi…" Her soft hand touches my arm. She has quite a   
grip for such a petite woman. I find myself putting the boy down. She   
doesn't want me to hurt him. Now I am the one making her cry.  
  
"He should have paid for hurting you. He should have paid…" Her grip   
tightens. I let him go. Gently, she takes my hand and walks me out the   
door. Ms. Tae is trying to calm people down. I made a ruckus. The brat   
shouldn't have tested me.  
  
"wo.men wan le…" She gives a slight bow to Ms. Tae. I mumble a   
translation as we pass her by. I really am a monster. My sister is   
smiling at me though. True, her smile is very sad, but she's still   
smiling. I was stopped. I didn't kill. The boy was hurt a bit, but he   
wasn't killed. Onee-san doesn't want me to kill anymore. I will have   
to try harder next time.  
  
"I'm sorry…I…"  
  
"It's okay. He wasn't hurt badly. He shouldn't have said that. You   
didn't deserve it." She is still leading me away from the restaurant.   
I follow, my eyes watching my feet. I ruined the day. It was so nice   
up till now. No. It was the brat's fault. But it was mine too. I   
should have controlled myself.   
  
"But…I-"  
  
"You did not deserve it." End of discussion. I forgot how tiring an   
emotion anger is. I just want to sit down now.  
  
She leads me to a small soba booth. I guess we'll be eating here   
instead. "Eat. Hunger is making you cranky." I manage to find the   
strength to give her a weak smile. So simple is her way of thinking.   
Onee-san gives me her favorite motherly smile. The kind she used to   
give me after a good scolding when I was little.  
  
"I see you're causing trouble." Saitoh?! My day is just getting worse   
and worse. I didn't even sense him. True, he's watched me many times   
when I come in to town. Most of his men keep an eye on me. Someone   
always knows where I am and what I'm doing. I'm surprised I haven't   
been arrested yet.  
  
"Do you know him?" In a manner of speaking. I nod. She smiles and   
regards the chief. "Liya."  
  
"What did she say?" He sets his bowl of soba down and gives her a good   
look from top to bottom. His eyes narrow. Of course, his eyes are   
already pretty narrow. It doesn't take much to get a reaction like   
that.  
  
"It's her name…"  
  
"The brat was asking for it. I'm not going to arrest you." He tosses a   
few coins on the counter. Placing his hat on his head, he tips it at   
Liya. She smiles and nods before searching my eyes. Her concern   
radiates off of her in subtle waves of heat. Almost as if she's trying   
to figure out the monster without words.  
  
"What?"  
  
"You are so kind to me, yet people hate you. Why do they not see what   
I see?" The way she worded her question is astonishing to say the   
least. So tactful. Why is she being tactful to a demon? Is it because   
she's afraid of angering me?  
  
"Because I hurt them a year ago." Hurt. What an understatement. "To   
them I am a demon."  
  
She's very quiet. Her smile has faded. I'm waiting for her to run   
away. I get a week. No. A day of happiness and now she will run away   
from the demon. 'It's just not fair onee-san…'  
  
"A demon does not buy a woman clothes without bad motives. He does not   
worry about a woman and become angry when bad things are said about   
her." She's not running? Wait. She's smiling?? My head rests in the   
palm of her hand while her thumb caresses my cheek. When did I start   
crying? "If you were once a demon, you are not one now."  
  
'Onee-san she's not running away! She's staying! She doesn't think I'm   
a monster! She's…She's kissing my forehead…' Her lips are soft,   
soothing. Like onee-san's when I was hurt as a child. My body goes   
lax. If it weren't for her holding me, I would be falling over. I   
almost wish I could fall. Her hair is like silk caressing my face. Her   
lips are like the petals of a flower. I am completely at her mercy.  
  
I am hers. Not as a lover, but hers just the same. Like I said before,   
her smile is as important as onee-san's. When she frowns, I am lost. I   
could conquer the world just to see her smile, but I think she would   
be happier to see me conquer myself.  
  
"Let's eat. You need food." Yes. So does she. I gesture for two bowls   
and tea. My smile is beaming, but I know my eyes are weak. Come to   
think of it, so are my legs. It's a good thing I'm sitting down.  
  
* * *  
  
"Please everyone! It's all over! Settle down! It's okay!" Tae-dono is   
trying desperately to settle everyone down. One by one, they finally   
comply to her request. Everything will be back the way it should now.   
Well…maybe not completely. Yahiko seems very shaken. He is strong, but   
he is still young. The young get scared. Hell, the experienced get   
scared too.  
  
"Yahiko…" He manages to look over at me. His mouth opens and closes. I   
know my eyes have changed color slightly. They aren't golden, but they   
aren't the eyes of the rurouni. My hand still rests on the sheath of   
my sakabatou. "Daijoubu…?"  
  
"A-aa…"  
  
"Are you as confused as I am?" Kaoru has learned not to be scared of   
my change in personality anymore. She merely compensates for it by   
being more gentle and submissive. I nod curtly. I couldn't understand   
what the girl said exactly, but I have a general idea. This was   
Yahiko's fault. Enishi is not good at controlling himself yet. Yahiko   
didn't think before he spoke and things got out of hand. He should not   
have called her what he did. Enishi had every right to react as he   
did, even if it was a bit much. At least, the girl was able to control   
him. It is good to see that my brother-in-law has found someone with   
that kind of power.  
  
"I will speak to him. He was at fault with this." Kaoru nods and lets   
me take Yahiko behind the Akabeko for our needed discussion. I see   
Tae-dono rush to my wife. There is gossip with this and the young   
woman is the empress of all the gossip in town. I hope anata will be   
tactful with the knowledge she will give to Tae-dono.  
  
I let my hand rest on the boy's shoulder. He knows he's in for   
something. My eyes have not changed back yet. "He deserved it. He has   
no idea what he put us through. What he put you through. He's a   
bastard." Yahiko's age betrays him and tears leak from his eyes. This   
is going to take a while.  
  
"He doesn't need to be reminded of what he did. He knows very well   
what it did to me and our family. Like I once blamed myself for my   
past, he does the same now. You did nothing but anger him. It was not   
your place to-"  
  
"He doesn't know! He enjoyed it! He enjoyed seeing you suffer!" I sigh   
while my eyes remain closed. My jaw sets. Yahiko is trying my patience.  
  
"Yes. He did enjoy seeing me suffer, but not anymore. He is trying to   
find himself and make amends. He is learning."  
  
"Is that what that 'girl' is for?" Yahiko is not convinced. It will   
take a long time for him to heal. Jinchuu has taken a great toll from   
him.  
  
"She…especially…did not deserve your hate Yahiko. She has done a lot   
for him. I see a drastic improvement in his control today than I have   
this whole year that I have been keeping my eye on him. A whore, as   
you called her, could not do that for him. In the future, do not place   
blame until you know all the facts." Yahiko's eyes are cast downwards.   
He will learn eventually.  
  
"Kenshin! Is this true? Is that the man that…" She gasps. Sessha   
guesses that Kaoru failed at being tactful. Anata has never been very   
good at wording delicate subjects.  
  
"Yes, but he is not to be feared now. He will not harm you or your   
customers. Yahiko simply jumped to conclusions and angered him. Next   
time he comes in, treat him as you would any other customer." She nods   
and bites her lip. Sessha doubts she will treat him the same now, but   
she will not throw him out. That is the least Sessha could ask for.   
Enishi deserves to heal.  
  
* * *  
  
Author's Notes:  
  
I know I put a lot of Chinese in this chapter. I think it's about time  
I informed you of how to pronounce the language. I won't overload you.  
I'll only show you how to pronounce the words in this chapter.  
  
Now, Chinese is a tonal language. This means that speaking it is like  
singing it. If you use the wrong tone for a word, you are not saying  
the right word. My teacher showed us that by teaching us an entire  
story made up of the word 'ma'. This is how important the tones are  
in the Chinese language.  
  
1 tone = is a straight tone. think of the baby doll that says, "mama"  
2 tone = is an upward tone. like you're asking a question.  
3 tone = is both up and down. like you're whining.  
4 tone = is a downward tone. like you're scolding someone.  
5 tone = it's not really a tone. it's not labeled. it's a tone  
because it's not a tone...if you can understand that logic.  
  
I use the Pinyin form of transliteration. School textbooks use a  
different one, so this won't help you pronounce that stuff.   
  
'q' = a 'ch' sound  
'x' = a 'sh' sound. a bit like a hiss as well. shallow 'sh'  
'sh' = a swallowed 'sh' sound. pull your tongue back to make the sound.  
'ch' = like 'sh'. a swallowed 'ch' sound.  
  
qing(3) = please  
ni(3) = you  
men = plural  
wu(2) = do not; not...  
xi(4) = fight; feud; quarrel  
wo(3) = I; me (wo.men = we)  
bu(4) = no; not  
shi(4) = yes, right; to be  
rang(4) = allow, permit  
chi(1) = to eat  
biao(3) = prostitute, whore  
liang(2) = good, virtuous, respectable  
wan(3) = regret, be sorry  
le = particle of completed action (noncommittal way to end a sentence)  
  
I'm sorry if the sentence structure isn't perfect. I haven't taken the  
language for a year now and I'm writing based on my memory. If it's  
really wrong, please tell me and I will change it.  
  
Japanese words:  
  
gaishou = whore, prostitute  
daijoubu = are you okay? (among other similar meanings)  
Aa = yes  
  
That should be it for this chapter. If you have any other questions,  
don't be afraid to ask. my email is: sarina7667@gundamwing.org 


	6. chapter 6

Tang Mu  
  
Chapter 6  
  
The 'guards' are drooling. We brought a lot more food than normal. I   
felt like being especially generous today. After all, a lot happened   
and I don't feel like going into town for a while. Once things settle   
down from my last visit, I think I will become more of a regular   
visitor. Besides, if I am going to be teaching Liya how to speak   
Japanese, she will need to practice somehow.  
  
"Um…I think this is for you…." Liya puts down the buckets of tofu. Her   
expression is unreadable for once, but the sound of her pulse and the   
heat coming from her body tells me she's a bit anxious. Almost   
fearfully she takes the folded parchment. The water color painting on   
the front makes me nervous. Tigers are said to ward off demons. I know   
people often refer to me as a white tiger for some reason, probably   
because of the other symbolic meaning, courage and bravery. Even that   
is a bit far fetched though. This tiger however has been slaughtered.   
An obviously imperial sword, a symbol of authority, has cut off the   
head of the white tiger and been thrust into the body to stick   
triumphantly from the torso.   
  
Liya's face has paled. Her hands are shaking. The implications of this   
symbolic painting are endless. I am a lonely white tiger. I am a   
target for slaughter. That's no surprise. I've been a target for a   
while now. The brat from the Kamiya dojo proved that again for me.   
Along with that, the demon ward has been slaughtered. I am Liya's   
protection for now. I am her ward against demons. Again another threat   
against me, but this time it also threatens her. The sword shows that   
whoever sent this thinks they have authority over her…and me. In other   
words, the whole painting wreaks of threatening intentions.  
  
Her usually soft pools of onyx are now blank as she hands the message   
to me. I remove myself from the cart of food to take the letter. It's   
written in Japanese. My eyes and senses dart around the area. Whoever   
sent this has left. "Come on. Let the others sort through this. We'll   
find someplace private to read."   
  
Her head gives a jerky nod. I am forced to press my hand against her   
back to get her to move. One foot in front of the other. Her movements   
are unsteady. I think she's going to pass out soon. My arm snakes its   
way around her waist in an effort to keep her on her feet. She leans   
heavily against me causing me to nearly carry her into the shadows of   
the village.  
  
"I see you have found a new bed to sleep in Tang Mu. I wonder how   
well you know your protector. He is not the demon ward you think he is.   
I know you were wondering why people kept staring at you today with   
horror. Why that little boy got so upset. Why those new friends nearly   
fainted at the sight of your man. If he does not tell you, I will. I'm   
sure he is reading this to you, since you can't read it. You will find   
out soon enough. Then, you will realize your place is with me."   
  
I fold the parchment and set it on the ground so that the painting   
cannot be seen. Liya is frozen in fear. They had been watching us all   
day. I was so occupied with Battousai and his family that I never   
noticed.  
  
Her lip begins to quiver. She knows I'm a demon. I didn't tell her   
details, but she knows I'm capable of some sort of destruction. I   
won't tell her my story without a direct question from her. If she   
does ask, I don't want to tell her yet. This is too much of a shock,   
let alone if I told her of my own involvement. 'Onee-san…help me…I   
don't know what to do…'  
  
* * *  
  
An unsure hand touches my shoulder in an effort to be comforting. He   
means well, but he has no idea how to reassure a woman. My body   
decides to guide him. I feel myself fall forward. Sure enough, he   
catches me. "Liya…" He's nervous. He's probably never done anything   
like this before.   
  
I don't care if he is a demon who has been kind because of a rare whim.   
"ni bao…" I choke on my words. I just want to be held right now.   
That's all. I hear him gasp. No. This is not a demon. I don't care   
about his past. He is not a demon. My arms find their way around him   
and hold on for dear life. I am crying. I am scared. I haven't been   
able to cry for five years. It's all coming out now.  
  
"My parents were murdered like this. My whole family. They say my   
father damaged the pride of the gang. I don't believe them. They   
kidnapped me and made me give them pleasure for five years. My father   
got a letter like this once. Now they think I have damaged their pride.   
They will stop at nothing. There is a secret man they get weapons from.   
They will get new, more dangerous weapons from him and use them to   
murder everything I hold dear. Right now, that's you, the two women   
from today, and this village. You are most important. They won't just   
murder you, they will rip you apart. I'm scared." I sob into his   
shoulder. Not again. Why can't they just leave my family alone!  
  
"They won't hurt anyone. I'm…I'm stronger than you think. Let me   
protect you." Yes. He is strong. Not just with muscle, though he has   
plenty of that. He has another strength. The whole town is scared of   
him. His past is laced with horrible mysterious deeds. He will survive   
this and he will make sure everyone else survives. I will trust him. I   
can depend on him.  
  
* * *  
  
I will protect her with everything I am. I will succeed this time. The   
poor protection I gave onee-san will not happen again. "She was the   
one I wanted to protect," was what I told Battousai after he beat me   
on that island. This is onee-san giving me a second chance. I will not   
lose, especially since they can't get any new weapons. The 'secret man'   
is me. They have no way of getting my weapons.  
  
"They won't hurt anyone. I'm…" No. I won't tell her if I don't have to.   
The yakusa will eventually make me tell her, but she doesn't need to   
know right now. That can wait. She just needs to be reassured right   
now. "I'm stronger than you think. Let me protect you."  
  
I lay her down with me. If anyone wishes to take her during the night,   
they will have to go through me. My arm surrounds her cupping her face   
to serve as a shield so that I don't have to lay all my weight on her.   
I don't know. Maybe that would actually be better. Using my whole body   
as a shield would certainly protect her.  
  
Warm breath cascades like shivers of water upon my neck. I turn my head   
to catch sight of her right eye and her ebony hair. She smells nice.   
Despite her past, she smells innocent. I want to immerse myself in the   
scent of sakura emanating from her hair and skin. If I just inch a bit   
closer, I will be able to taste the alluring aroma.  
  
No. Didn't you listen to her?! Onee-san is frowning at me. She always   
scolded me for not listening to people, especially girls. This is to   
protect her not to take pleasure from her. If I were to do that, I   
would be no better than the yakusa. No. I will just hold her. Hold her   
and protect her. To hold her is good enough.  
  
* * *  
  
Author's Notes:  
  
Reviewing the tones again:  
  
(1) = straight tone; little doll, "mama."  
(2) = upward tone; sounds like you're asking a question  
(3) = up and down tone; sounds like you're whining  
(4) = downward tone; sounds like you're scolding someone  
( ) = Has a tone because it's not really a tone, if that makes sense.  
  
bao(4) = embrace, hold in arms, enfold  
  
I'd like to thank this website:  
http://www.chinesepaintings.com/glossary/glos-1.htm  
  
They gave me a lot of information regarding symbols used in Chinese  
paintings. I used this for the beginning of this chapter. I hope I did  
well.  
  
Any questions you may have, please email me: sarina7667@gundamwing.org 


	7. chapter 7

Tang Mu  
  
Chapter 7  
  
It has been three months since I received the threatening letter. This   
is how they work. They will wait patiently until your guard is down. It   
could take anywhere from a week to a year. It took my family nine   
months to forget the threat. My brother had just been brought into the   
world.  
  
I thank the gods that Enishi has not 'taken' me. My father made that   
mistake with my mother. The pregnancy and birth served as a distraction.   
It worked too well and my family lost their lives.  
  
Each night, he lays with me as my shield. He puts himself in danger for   
me. I don't like this, but there is no other way. I keep telling myself   
he knows what he's doing; he's strong. However, I can't help realizing   
that he is human. Humans make mistakes. He is strong, but he could   
misstep. Anything could happen. Most likely, everything will happen.  
  
Right now, I have convinced him to let me have some time to myself. He   
is sitting on top of the most sturdy shack. It's in the center of the   
village so he can still keep an eye on me as well as the rest of the   
people here.  
  
I have decided to cook for the villagers as a way to pull my weight.   
When I cook, that is my alone time, though I am not really alone. The   
children help me. Enishi has been teaching me Japanese, so I can at   
least give orders. They are smart children. They usually figure out   
what I need.  
  
"Liya-san! Can I help?" Cho-chan is my favorite child. I found out that   
her name means butterfly. She is clumsy, but when she falls her arms   
spread as if she thinks she really can fly. Her name suits her. I have   
made it a pastime of mine to do her hair every morning. She likes the   
attention and I like spoiling her. Today, we decided to put her hair   
into two little buns. My mother used to put my hair up like that when I   
was little. I fussed, but it does look cute when it's on someone else.   
Cho likes it, so that's good.  
  
"Yes. You help Liya?" Her stormy blue eyes twinkle in the afternoon   
sun. I wish my eyes had color. I like color. Black is too dull. It is   
said that onyx eyes make a woman beautiful. Better for a wife to have   
onyx eyes than the eyes of a foreigner. I don't agree. Cho's eyes are   
much more beautiful than mine. They sparkle with vibrant innocence.   
"We go cart. You help Liya carry."  
  
She nods cutely. The little buns on her head jiggle with the movement.   
Kindly, I take her tiny hand as we walk to the food cart. The child   
must have a sixth sense. She always knows when I'm going to make dinner   
and always wants to help. I barely got to the stew pot before she   
showed up this time.  
  
"Where brother Cho?" Very rarely do I see the girl without the young   
man. As I understand things, their parents were killed. Now Kaemon   
takes care of his little sister as a father would a daughter. He is   
good to her without spoiling her. That way she will be a gracious wife   
someday.   
  
"He said he was coming back soon." That's odd. She didn't say where he   
was. He usually at least tells her his whereabouts when he leaves her   
to do his own things. This is odd. Maybe I should talk to Enishi about   
this. No. He's fine. There's nothing for me to worry about. I look up   
at the mentioned white haired man. He looks bored, yet tense. I softly   
smile. Enishi is too kind for his own good sometimes. I will visit him   
with dinner soon so that he doesn't have to leave his perch.  
  
* * *  
  
She says she wants alone time, but Cho is always with her. I don't   
understand her sometimes. My eyes flicker with still unknown softness   
as I watch her sift through the food cart for dinner items. She looks   
much healthier now that she has some meat on her bones. Oh, she's not   
chubby. In fact, she's very lean, but just not a waif anymore. I take   
a deep cleansing breath, something unheard of during my Jinchuu.   
Granted things are tense right now because of the threat, but things   
have certainly changed. 'I wouldn't trade it for the world.' The   
thought wanders through my mind as I watch Liya pat Cho on the head.   
Her smile is much freer now that she has found someone to spoil. I   
like seeing that.   
  
A clunking sound alerts my attention to my right. The sound is   
deliberate, yet unsure, as if someone preoccupied is trying to climb   
up to the roof with me. I look around the grounds. It's obviously not   
Liya. She's already making dinner as she sends one of the other   
children to get more supplies from the cart.  
  
"Enishi-kun…" I raise an eyebrow. It's not very often the boy graces   
me with his presence. The only reason he calls me '-kun' is because   
his sister is so familiar with me and he knows I don't mind. In fact,   
I'm beginning to prefer it.  
  
"Kaemon…? To what do I owe this honor?" I sarcastically push my   
glasses up. The boy has grown. He looks like he's on a mission. I   
force myself not to laugh in his face. The intensity of his expression   
is almost comical.  
  
"Enishi-kun…It's my birthday today…" I didn't know that. Both my   
eyebrows raise this time. This is intriguing news to say the least.   
What's even more intriguing is why he's telling me this. "I'm twenty…"   
I see he's a man today. I think I know what he wants to talk about.  
  
I watch his eyes dart from me to linger on Liya. She has become like a   
mother for Cho during the course of these past three months. I know   
Kaemon treats Cho like a father would. He has been eyeing Liya for   
some time now. Nothing gets past me, unlike the unsuspecting female.   
My lips twist into a half grin as my eyes glint with understanding.  
  
He blushes. Does he think I don't notice all the looks he gives her?   
All the seemingly innocent hand brushes when he takes his bowl of   
supper from her grip? His hungry eyes when she happens to be wearing   
her Chinese dress? He even took up with attempting to stake out the   
village from another similarly sturdy roof as I have accustomed myself   
to doing. I can see it in his eyes as plain as day. He wishes to   
protect her. He is green with envy that I lay my life on the line by   
sharing her bed every night.  
  
Yet, through all this, Liya is still oblivious. She considers him to   
be a younger brother. I can see that in the way she smiles at him. The   
light touches of her hand that are meant to comfort and nothing more.   
I can see it because she does the same thing for me. I think. Things   
get very confusing when I'm lying over her at night. They're hazy. I   
refuse to sleep, only pretending by closing my eyes. Her scent   
overwhelms me to the point of insanity sometimes, but I endure. I have   
to. She seems almost frightened that I would take things any further   
then just protection. I wish I knew why, but I will not force her to   
tell me.  
  
"I want to ask her…"  
  
"Ask her to marry you?" He casts his eyes downward. "I think you're   
moving a bit too quick."  
  
That got his attention. His eyes blaze. They seem to glow green with   
embedded jealousy. "You're just saying that because-"  
  
"Women have this thing about them. They like to court first before   
they settle down, unless it's an arranged marriage. Then, they have no   
choice in the matter. I suggest you start with that first."  
  
His jaw drops. Yes. I'm giving you dating advice, even if you are my   
competition. It's better for her to tell you that you don't have a   
chance than for me to tell you. Even though, I don't have a chance   
either. I'm still a monster after all.  
  
Stormy blue eyes soften to become unsure once again. I mockingly   
tousle his already messy black hair. He glares at me in return. "You're   
always picking on me like I'm a kid! I'm twenty!"  
  
"It's because you let me do it…and then you react like a kid. Besides,   
I like taunting you." I grin wickedly and do it again just to piss him   
off. As far as I'm concerned, he was asking for it.  
  
"So…" He scowls. Obviously I achieved my objective of pissing him off,   
but that doesn't stop him from noticing I have a bit more experience   
in this matter. "What do I do?" I suppress a chuckle. I didn't think   
he was that inexperienced.  
  
"Get her something nice. Girls like gifts." He glares at me as if to   
say, 'No kidding!' Ah, so I underestimated him.  
  
"I don't have money."  
  
"Who said you needed money? Girls like romantic stuff. Liya's no   
exception. If you want her bad enough, you'll think of something." I   
run my fingers through my silver hair. This ought to be interesting.  
  
"Then what about all the stuff you buy her? How the hell am I supposed   
to compete with that?" I can't suppress it anymore. I outright laugh   
at him. This time he doesn't glare though. He's actually depressed   
about this. I run my fingers through my hair again and sober up, but   
the smirk painted across my face refuses to be erased. It's still   
amusing that he's this open about our 'competition' to win the Chinese   
woman.  
  
"I buy her things because she needs them and I have the money. It's not   
to win her. In fact, it pisses her off even though she's too polite to   
show it."  
  
"Then…What about you teaching her?" I see. He's trying to understand   
my motive so he can beat me with something I can't do. He's going to   
be sorely disappointed. I'm not trying to win her, like him. I have   
feelings toward her, that much is obvious, but she'd never go for me.   
I'm a demon, a temporarily dormant volcano. I can content myself with   
her laughter and the warmth of her smile. That's all I need to be   
happy.  
  
"I teach her so that she can talk to people besides just me. I'm the   
only one who speaks her language here." I let my arms rest limply on   
my knees as I observe the object of our discussion. It looks like   
dinner is almost ready. Cho and a few other children are happily   
helping Liya clean up as the finishing touches are made to the nightly   
meal.  
  
"What about you sleeping with her?" I give him a sidelong glance. How   
did I know he'd bring that up. I know people are talking about it. It   
never bothered me before, but I know it bothers Liya. Maybe if I   
explain it to Kaemon, others in the village won't make her feel so   
uncomfortable.  
  
"I sleep with her to protect her." He scoffs, obviously unconvinced.   
"There isn't anything sexual about it. I use my body as a shield."  
  
"A shield?" He raises an almost feminine looking eyebrow. For once, he   
almost makes me shift uncomfortably. I can't help but agree with his   
skepticism. I admit it, my mind isn't exactly clean when I'm with her   
like that. Her warmth. Her scent. Her softness. They all tempt me.   
When she finally falls asleep, I find myself burying my face in her   
hair just to immerse myself in the aroma. A few times I've even found   
myself preparing to steal a kiss, but she always stirs and I lose my   
nerve. I end up admonishing myself and comparing my actions with that   
of the yakusa.  
  
"Yes. A shield." I'm going to regret telling him this, but I think he's   
old enough to understand his limits. I don't think he'll go to great   
measures to protect her when he lacks the means to do so properly. "Do   
you remember those men that taunted her when she first came to the   
village?"  
  
"Yeah…" His expression is unreadable for once.  
  
"They're still 'interested' in her. That's why I shield her at night."   
Kaemon's eyes widen. His eyes momentarily house jealousy, but it's   
quickly vanquished by depression and anger. Such an interesting range   
of emotions. I wasn't expecting that. Briefly, I wonder what he was   
thinking, but then I remember who I'm dealing with and figure he'll   
tell me in a second anyway.  
  
"So…you're willing to give your life for her…" Now I understand the   
jealousy. He's not willing to give that up for her. He doesn't think   
he can compete with the sacrifice. That explains the depression. The   
anger is obvious. He will learn. Sacrifice isn't what will attract her.   
Life will attract her. She may not be aware of it, but she's much   
better at living than anyone else here in this tiny village. She   
doesn't belong here. This is more of a place to hide than a place to   
forget for her. My sacrifice won't make her smile, but it will keep   
her safe so that she can smile for other people. That is reason enough   
for me to continue putting my life on the line. I can atone through   
this.  
  
"I bring you dinner." Her ambrosia like voice genuinely startles me. I   
was thinking too much about trivial things. Hopefully, she didn't   
catch that her protector was caught off guard. She smiles and hands me   
a bowl and chopsticks with a knowing gaze. I guess she did notice.   
"You should rest more Enishi." I can't rest. Not until this is all   
over. Not until I know she's safe.  
  
"Thank you. It smells great as always." Kaemon gives her a winning   
smile taking what she offers him with a slight bow. As the bowl is   
transferred to his hands, he nonchalantly brushes his fingers over   
hers. His eyes soften with intent which Liya promptly either ignores,   
or doesn't notice. Sometimes I wonder if she is well aware of his   
intent and purposely ignores his advances. Maybe I should ask her   
about that tonight.  
  
"It's Kaemon's birthday today. He's twenty." I grin at her as if   
asking her to suggest something appropriate. Her eyes widen with   
surprise.   
  
"Twenty?" Kaemon blushes and nods. "We same age!" It's my turn to be   
surprised. I never did ask her for her age. I always assumed she was   
seventeen or eighteen adding to my reasons not to pursue her. "We have   
party! Yes?" Excited onyx eyes meet my pools of teal as if asking for   
permission. My mouth twitches in response. Our eyes are locked. She   
really is beautiful. I bask in the vitality of her excitement for that   
brief moment before nodding my acceptance.  
  
I hate to admit it, but this might be the best course of action for   
our present situation. If we appear to be too relaxed, the yakusa will   
make a move. Perhaps it's best if we do a bit of deception to finish   
this. "Right then. Let's take you out on the town."  
  
"I wasn't suggesting that-"  
  
"I know. Get over it." I raise my hand as if I'm going to tousle her   
hair, but I find myself running my fingers through it instead. Stopping   
suddenly, I break away from the contact. That wouldn't be a very good   
birthday present to see your rival making a move like that on the   
'prize'.  
  
"Too much money Enishi. You spend too much." I grin at that. Switching   
my vision to the man beside me, I find that he is also amused. She   
just proved me right about her being pissed with my generosity. She's   
still rather polite about it, but she has certainly gotten bolder in   
these past three months. My money is a constant annoyance to her. It's   
like she doesn't think she's worthy of it.  
  
I openly laugh. "But when you pout like that, it encourages me to do it   
more." I speak my blatant come-on in Chinese so that Kaemon won't catch   
it. She blushes and turns her head while biting the offensive lip.  
  
* * *  
  
Author's Notes:  
  
Sorry it took me so long to send in my new chapters. I had a bit of  
trouble with another fic of mine, but I'm better now. Sorry for the  
length of this one too. I know it's a long chapter about seemingly  
nothing, but I wanted to introduce some competition for Enishi so I  
could further the plot a little more.  
  
No real notes on this one except that my 'name website' that I found:  
http://www.20000-names.com/  
It says that Cho means 'butterfly'  
and Kaemon means 'joyful; righthanded; old samurai name' I chose it for  
the last part. I thought it would make him more interesting, but he  
didn't really turn out the way I wanted. That's okay though. This might  
even be better. He's just kind of a brat that makes Liya a bit   
uncomfortable with his constant come-ons.  
  
Well, that's it from me! I hope you liked the chapter and continue  
reading it! Tell me if Enishi begins to get too out of character.  
I have a bad habit of doing that when the story gets long like this.  
  
Thanks for liking it so much so far!!! 


	8. chapter 8

Tang Mu  
  
Chapter 8  
  
It is really getting dark out now. Cho is mewling happily from my   
shoulder. Liya is still deciding whether or not she should be upset   
with me for spoiling the little girl. Well, we were going to the bath   
house and, as before with Liya, I doubted it would be wise to put the   
same dirty clothes on after she was all clean. She couldn't argue with   
that logic at least, so she contented herself with silently fuming   
about my over-generosity.   
  
"Now, where we go?" Liya gently brushed Cho's now loose hair out of   
her face. The little girl was already tired and we hadn't even really   
done anything yet.  
  
"Well, Kaemon still has to really celebrate. I doubt that kid from   
before is working this late, if you want to try the Akabeko again." I   
think Cho will wake up for food. She always surprises me with her   
appetite and no one will bother us if we have a child. Liya smiles   
serenely at this. Her eyes tell me she's proud that I'm not letting   
past events get to me.   
  
"Welcome! Four?" Ms. Tae smiles warily. She remembers. I nod and smile   
back. At least she's not kicking me out. That's a good sign. The other   
two pass to go to the designated table. Ms. Tae stares at me with   
nervous eyes, but she remains nonetheless. I do have a child in my   
arms. It's not as if I'm going to attack her.  
  
"That man there?" She nods at Kaemon. "It's his twentieth birthday   
today. Do you have anything?" Her lip is trembling at our close   
proximity. Suddenly aware of what my closeness is doing to her, I back   
up a step. Shakily, she nods and manages a smile. I thank her and leave   
to join the two already seated.  
  
I rub Cho's back in an effort to wake her gently. "Cho-chan…" Her head   
shifts on my shoulder. Much to Ms. Tae's awe, she drowsily rubs her   
eyes on my shirt before using her tiny hands. The woman's gentle smile   
widens. I think the child's display made Ms. Tae forget her fear of me.   
It worked. I'm glad.   
  
"Enishi-nii…we gonna eat?" Her dark blue eyes blink lazily as she rubs   
them one last time. Tentatively, Ms. Tae approaches. She holds out a   
piece of candy and smiles. I see the brat emerge from the back. He   
glares at me, but notices the child and backs off with a   
non-threatening growl.  
  
"Cho-chan…This is Ms. Tae." I notice Liya grinning at me from the   
corner of my eye, much to Kaemon's dismay. I can't help that his   
little sister gets attention like this where ever she goes. It just   
happens to be that I'm holding her right now.  
  
"Hello…"  
  
"Here you go honey!" Her smile broadens even more with the cuteness of   
the four year old girl. I never thought I'd ever say, let alone think,   
a word like 'cute'. It seemed so far from my vocabulary a year ago.   
Change really does sneak up on you when you're not looking. It seems   
like over night I became this soft, nice guy. Once I would have thought   
that to be a weakness, but now that doesn't seem to really matter much   
anymore.  
  
A smirk set upon my face, I carry the child to the waiting table. The   
atmosphere doesn't seem so tense anymore. Cho did her trick. I'm glad   
we decided to do this. We should take Cho every time we come into town.  
  
I pass my gaze over the table. Kaemon is looking victorious about   
something. What is he up to I wonder? Is he actually going to make a   
play for Liya tonight? This ought to be very interesting. Wait. Liya   
is blushing. He already did something. Why is this annoying me? It's   
amusing. That's all. That's right. I am amused by his attempts at   
getting Liya's attention. Nothing more.  
  
"What can I get for you guys tonight?" As we order, something   
resembling lightening bolts flash between Kaemon and me. I am not one   
to step down from a challenge, but this is ridiculous. Liya isn't some   
prize at a festival. But, like I said, I am not one to step down from a   
challenge. So, challenge away little boy.   
  
Tsubame and Ms. Tae trot over to give us our order of sake and tea to   
go along with a very tempting cream pie topped with a huge display of   
fruit and a lit sparkler. The two women wish Kaemon a happy birthday as   
he hands the sparkler to Cho. Her dark blue eyes light up with   
excitement at the shiny firework.  
  
Lifting my Choko, I offer a toast to the 'birthday boy'. My wicked grin   
widens as my eyes narrow a silent challenge. Cho has already left the   
table, but I pay her no mind. This is more important. Sure enough, the   
twenty year old downs the whole choko in one gulp. He has answered my   
challenge. Let the festivities begin.  
  
  
* * *  
  
"I can't believe you got him drunk." I give her my best evil smirk as I   
adjust my glasses.  
  
"We goin' home now, koishiiiii…?" Liya gives the intoxicated man an odd   
look. Unable to contain myself, I burst out laughing almost waking Cho   
in the process. I cradle her in my arms as Liya helps Kaemon to his   
feet. Yes. I taught her what koishii means. Someone called her my   
koishii as a joke a couple nights ago. I got playful and teased her   
about it rewarding me with a growing blush. It was very nice indeed.  
  
I can feel the brat of Kamiya Dojo watching us from the shadows. It's   
alright though. I think he's just curious now. Cho's trick when we   
entered the Akabeko did more than I thought it would. It was causing   
the brat to second guess his earlier accusations.  
  
There are, of course, other people in the shadows. Besides the brat,   
two others catch my attention. One is Saitoh Hajime, Mibu's wolf. As   
usual, he is watching me to see if I make trouble. The other has a more   
sinister intent. I'm sure the 'wolf' has noticed the murderous ki   
already. If the person makes a move, I won't be the one to attack him.   
Perhaps Saitoh might even let me talk to the bastard in jail. I do have   
plenty of questions. What is this revenge they're going after? Why   
bother with Liya still?  
  
"I loooove youuu, Koishiiiii…" Kaemon sings as he attempts to snuggle   
while standing up. The said 'koishii' blushes furiously as if she's   
mortified. Because she is. I realize this when I notice where the man's   
limp hand is. Liya gives me a pleading look. She doesn't want to lose   
the grip she has on him. We had decided that she should take care of   
him because Cho is lighter. If someone were to attack tonight, I would   
need to be able to act fast. Having a burden like Kaemon would tie me   
down too much.  
  
Once again, I don my wicked grin as I remove the man's hand from the   
woman's breast to place it innocently on her arm. Though she looks   
relieved, she continues to blush furiously. "I think he's having a bit   
too much fun on his birthday." I find myself winking at her. Kaemon's   
hand slips off her arm to rest on her breast once more. Annoyed onyx   
eyes stare at the offending hand. "I guess you have no choice but to   
keep it there until you can put him down." I laugh at the incredibly   
rare dangerous expression she gives me.  
  
I counter her glare with my own telling her how unhappy I am with his   
wandering hand. She seems satisfied with that and walks the now twenty   
year old down the street toward home. I watch her attempt at not   
struggling with the man's weight. She may be gentle and submissive, but   
she certainly has determination. Despite myself, I think I'm starting   
to fall for this woman.  
  
* * *  
  
Author's Notes:  
  
A choko is the little saucer-like-cup that you drink sake out of.  
Brought to you by:  
http://www.suihitsu.co.jp/eng/lecture/sake/jiten.html  
  
The Japanese do have a birthday cake of sorts. It looks like just a   
simple cream pie, but it has huge chunks of fruit that decorate the  
middle. The Japanese don't usually do the sweets thing. I read that  
it's because most of their food is starchy, so that explains why  
their birthday cake is so simple.  
  
I actually didn't learn this from a website. I frequent a Japanese  
restaraunt. They serve the traditional Japanese birthday cake there.  
They put a sparkler in the middle and everything. It's really neat.  
  
Well, that's all from me. I decided to make this one short because  
the last chapter was so long. I hope you liked it! 


	9. chapter 9

Tang Mu  
  
Chapter 9  
  
I take a long drag of my cigarette. There are several people here who   
have fighting ki. Only one has the intent of murder though. The Kamiya   
brat is in the alley way across from me. He thinks Enishi is up to   
something. Oh how wrong he is. The former 'demon' is actually doing   
well. It's surprising considering the hell he put the Battousai's   
strange family through and his involvement with the Shishio faction.  
  
The yakusa have surrounded the seemingly unsuspecting family like a   
pack of wolves. I say wolves with venom. They wouldn't stand a chance   
against the wolves of Mibu. I alone could take all of them out, but I   
have questions. My sword will have to wait.   
  
The white tiger's eyes dart. He switches the child to his inside arm   
and hip in order to better protect her. The atmosphere has thickened.   
The yakusa are about to make their move.  
  
Enishi's hand lashes out just in front of the child's head. My golden   
eyes spot a small dart dropping from his grasp. He doesn't bother to   
attack. If he were to fight the man, his charges would be left wide   
open. This is my job. My speed bests the man who fired the dart. He   
barely has time to turn around to see me looming behind him. Aku Soku   
Zan. My eyes glint at him. Unfortunately, I can't fulfill my belief   
immediately. I still have to interrogate him.  
  
"Firing a dart at a mere child is weak." As usual, his carbon copy   
black eyes widen in uncontrollable fear. The expression gives me a   
rush. I grasp his tan kimono near his shoulder and lift him off the   
ground. "I have some questions for you. Won't you join me?" Smirking, I   
don't give him the chance to answer as I ram his head against a nearby   
wall. Immediately, he passes out. As he slumps against the wooden   
panels, I watch for more possible newcomers to my jail.   
  
Much to my amusement, Yahiko has finished another one opposite me. No   
one appears to be hurt out of the targets, so I assume the brat took   
him out before he got the chance to fire. The kid is getting smart. He   
will eventually come in handy. I file that for much, much later   
eventual use.  
  
My attention snaps back into focus as another glint speeds toward the   
targets. It's a much bigger glint this time, a small dagger perhaps.   
Enishi's hand shoots out again. He won't make it. It's completely   
opposite him. The young woman, Liya I believe, will be hit.  
  
* * *  
  
"No!" I nearly drop Cho to make it to Liya in time, but I already know   
I'll be too late. Simultaneously, two cries echo in my sensitive ears.   
The squish of a dagger in flesh assaults me. I smell blood. It   
overwhelms my senses bringing me to the brink of insanity once again.   
Onee-san appears before me with the smile I was once accustomed to   
seeing during my Jinchuu. She wants revenge. Yes Onee-san. I will get   
you revenge. I put the child down a bit too roughly and launch myself   
in the direction of the one who threw the dagger.  
  
"Tang Mu…Ni hao…" I turn mid-lunge. So that's what they were doing. The   
same skinny bastard from when I met Liya is ripping the knife from   
Kaemon's hand and her chest. The twenty year old has been thrown to the   
side. He stares dazedly at the offending yakusa member.   
  
"Take a step and this perfect face of hers won't be so perfect." He   
holds a knife to her cheek.  
  
* * *  
  
Enishi's light teal eyes almost glow with anger, just like Kenshin's   
when he becomes the Battousai. A man has a knife to the woman's cheek.   
I can feel the demon's uncontrollable ki all the way over here in the   
shadows of the alley. Tentatively, I take a step forward so I can hear   
what they're saying better. What is Enishi and this other guy up to?   
They have to be using this woman for some reason. Enishi's a bastard   
who only thinks for himself. He doesn't have the same look as Kenshin   
because he wants to protect that woman. He just wants to use her.   
That's it.  
  
"Take a step and this perfect face of hers won't be so perfect." Enishi   
stops. I'm close enough now to see his expression and movements clearly.   
His eyes dart from the woman to the man with the knife. A little girl   
is sitting right in the middle. Her legs are curled to either side of   
her as she cries. The other man I saw with them at the Akabeko is   
laying in a heap of blood staring at his hand and the woman with   
drunken anger. Enishi's nostrils flare as if he's a tiger waiting for   
his prey to make a mistake.  
  
"Not very talkative are you." The woman's chin is tilted with the tip   
of the knife. Tears stream from her eyes as the man further proves his   
'dominance' by running a hand through her hair before pulling it to   
force her to tilt her chin even more. "Maybe you should get to know   
your protector a bit more Tang Mu. After all, he killed your parents."  
  
Enishi's eyes blaze even more with that comment. He sends death   
warrants to the man through his gaze as he dares to take a step   
forward. "Ah, ah…You wouldn't want her face to scar. Would you?" He   
sets his jaw forcing himself to remain still.  
  
"Please…Let me go…Just let me go…"  
  
"No, I don't think I will. You're too fun to let go. You remember what   
kind of fun we used to have. Don't you?" She blinks releasing more   
tears. "You still have a debt to pay anyway. And don't think I haven't   
noticed you, captain of the third squad of the Shinsengumi, Hajime   
Saitoh." The said wolf stops several steps behind the man. "Well, now   
that we're all here. I think it's time for us to leave. Don't you Tang   
Mu?"  
  
The man looks up where Enishi should be to see nothing. Audibly   
growling, the white haired demon is directly behind him. His eyes glow   
with the intent to kill as he drops the knife to his side. The once   
dominant man gasps at the swiftness of Enishi's work as he stares at   
his now empty hand. Beady black eyes stare into the fearsome depths of   
teal that will soon feast upon him.  
  
A hand lashes out and the man is held high off the ground by his   
throat. "You can tell Michio that I will not allow you or anyone else   
to touch her ever again. Her family and her honor will be avenged   
through me." He nearly squeezes the life out of the man as he growls.  
  
"You can't kill him yet. I still have some questions. I'll take it from   
here." Enishi's wild eyes narrow and shift their attention to the   
direction the voice is coming from. With one final squeeze, he drops   
the man. The demon watches him writhe in pain and gasp for air while   
Saitoh calmly steps beside him. "You can visit him in jail and torture   
him all you want, but I believe you have more important things to   
attend to."  
  
Both sets of glowing eyes dart to the woman, child, and drunk man   
before returning to the minion of that Michio person. "I'll be back for   
you." I don't know why, but I find myself approaching the scene. My   
foot scuffs against the dirt road causing several eyes to glare in my   
direction. I glare right back and stoop to regard the crying child.  
  
"Hey…toughen up. Huh?" The kid stops wailing to hiccup at me. Almost   
immediately, she begins wailing even louder this time. Her arms throw   
themselves around my neck forcing me to sit in a sprawling, flailing   
sort of manner. What do I do now!? "Hey! Stop it!"  
  
"Hey brat…" I look up to see Enishi picking up the woman. What did they   
call her? Tang Mu I think. I don't know what that means, but it sounds   
okay to me, so I guess I'll call her that. "Follow us. We're going to   
the clinic. You think you can watch her?"  
  
I growl at him. 'He can't order me around,' I think as I pick up the   
wailing kid. Of course, her grip is like iron right now. Even if I   
didn't have my arms around her, she'd probably be able to keep herself   
from falling. He's being so gentle with Tang Mu. I didn't think he'd   
ever show any kind of gentle side. Well, he did show that in the   
Akabeko, but that was only to make Ms. Tae less afraid of him. He was   
using the kid to make himself look like a better person. Yeah. That's   
it.   
  
Enishi pauses next to the drunk man. "I can walk. Put me down and carry   
him." Tang Mu spoke, but I have no clue what she just said. Whatever   
she said, it was really quiet. The demon's eyes look unsure for a   
second before he gently sets the woman down on her feet. She wobbles   
slightly and he immediately has his arms around her again. Wow! Maybe I   
was kind of rough on him that one day. "I'm fine…just let me lean on   
you."  
  
"Hey brat…" Stop calling me that! "Let her lean on you while I pick him   
up." Fine. Fine. I guess I can do that. Reluctantly, I walk over to   
Tang Mu. She laces her arm through mine and leans heavily against my   
side. I hear her sigh and look up. Weakly, her mouth twitches as if   
it's going to smile.   
  
"Let's go…" And so, we walk to Dr. Gensai's clinic.  
  
* * *  
  
Author's Notes:  
  
I know Yahiko sounds really out of character while he's watching the  
events transpire, but I liked the description I used so you'll just  
have to bear with it. Thanks!  
  
Other than that, no real notes. Thanks for reading my fic for so long  
I know the chapters are getting up there in number. I never intended  
for it to go on this long. Actually, the whole reason I wrote it was  
for Enishi to get laid, but this huge drama came out instead. I'm glad  
you guys like it so much! I really appreciate all your support! 


	10. Chapter 10

Tang Mu  
  
Chapter 10  
  
"I know you're concerned, but you need to leave the room while I work."   
I give him a weak glare, but rise off the floor anyway. He is a brave   
man to be talking to me like that. I'm sure he knows what I'm capable   
of. He's right though. I have to leave if he is to work his best.  
  
The brat is standing outside the door still holding Cho even though she   
stopped crying a while ago. I brush her tears aside as I gently kiss   
her forehead. "Everything will be okay." She hiccups and nods while   
biting her thumb. My voice is more rough than I intended it to be. I'm   
surprised she's not scared of me yet.  
  
"I don't trust you yet, but…" My uneasy gaze falls on the brat. He   
gulps and continues. "…You're different now, so I'll force myself to   
try." He seems genuine. For some unknown reason, I feel my expression   
soften a little as I nod. "If you want to wash up, follow me." The brat   
leads me outside to the bath house. Along the way, he picks up some   
light clothes and soap. "Here. I'll tell you if you missed anything   
while you're in here." Even if he is Battousai's surrogate brat, I   
accept his semi-friendly offer and enter the bath house. There is much   
to think about.  
  
* * *  
  
"Yahiko-chan?" Don't call me -CHAN!!! Well, I guess she's okay. The   
kid's only four after all. She's playing with a lock of her hair as her   
foot scratches her other leg. Her big blue eyes look kind of like   
Kaorus and that guy that's being treated right now. Maybe they're   
related!   
  
"What?" She pouts at the tone of my voice. What?! I can't help the way   
I talk!  
  
"Can I have some water?" She starts to nervously twist a pointed foot   
on the wood floor as if she thinks I'm not going to let her get a   
drink. I make a big deal out of my chore, rolling my eyes while I get   
up and take her hand.  
  
"Come on…" This has been an interesting day to say the least. Who knew   
that a year after putting us through hell, Enishi would be shacked up   
in the clinic for the night. It's a good thing Megumi's in Aizu and   
Sano's on the run somewhere. Hell would be here all over again if they   
were around.  
  
"Why aren't you in bed yet?" Speaking of the demon…Unconsciously, I   
find myself narrowing my eyes. He gives me an odd stern expression and   
reaches to pick up Cho. He really is a totally different person when it   
comes to people he likes. I think my offer earlier has forced him to be   
civil to me, so he doesn't kick my ass or anything when people aren't   
looking. Not that he would do that. It wouldn't serve any purpose. His   
Jinchuu failed and he's obviously a different person now. I don't think   
he'd involve Kenshin's friends and family anymore…At least, not to the   
extent that he did last year.  
  
"Dr. Gensai said he wasn't done with onii-chan yet. Yahiko-chan said   
he'd get me some water." Once again, teal eyes focus on me. Why do I   
feel like I'm being analyzed?  
  
"Enishi-san…can I talk to you please?" The evil eyes are looking at Dr.   
Gensai now. Good. They make me feel like a little boy.  
  
"I won't get to see you till morning Cho-chan. We're going to have to   
say goodnight now. Okay?" The little girl cutely puckers her lips for   
Enishi of all people. And he bends down to accept!!!? A kiss   
goodnight?! Isn't he the 'good father figure' all of a sudden! That's   
just wrong! I'm sorry! Wait…No I'm not! That's just wrong!  
  
"G'night Enishi-nii! Can you give Liya-chan a goodnight kiss for me?"   
Enishi stares blankly at the little girl. It's like he's considering   
whether he should say he will and not, or to actually follow through   
with it. Finally, he nods and follows Dr. Gensai into the clinic.  
  
That was odd…Enishi being nice. He surprises me more and more and more.   
I take Cho's hand and head for the well. The demon really has changed.   
He may not treat any of us agreeably, but he does treat his own   
make-shift family well. That's good to know.  
  
* * *  
  
Dr. Gensai sits me down on a mat in an empty room. He sets some tea in   
front of me as I warily eye him. Why is he drawing this out? Pausing   
further, he takes a long refreshing sip of his own cup, I suppose, just   
to piss me off. He knows he has my full attention, yet he stalls. My   
eyes narrow in response.  
  
"I did a full examination of Liya-san. She has many healed scars." My   
body tenses at the reminder. She had many bruises as well, but they   
have all healed now. I remember seeing her in that dressing room. She   
was so thin and abused. Being a man, I couldn't help but notice her   
nudity. I admit it made my body feel warm and made my pants feel a bit   
tight, but above all that I felt angry. How could those men use her   
like that? Did they get a rush? Where else was she bruised…?  
  
"I know…"  
  
"I figured you would." My fists begin to clench, but I stop myself.   
Instead, I grasp the cup and force myself not to drain it in one   
scalding gulp. The infernal doctor takes another dramatic sip. His eyes   
close showing me he's not afraid. He's calling the shots. I realize   
that. Now, get on with it. "I asked her what caused them. She was, as   
expected, reluctant at first. She said the yakusa did it. After some   
coaxing, I got her to tell me that they thought the blood on her was   
beautiful." My eyes narrow with rage. They enjoyed it. They tortured   
her because they thought it was beautiful?! I know I have done some   
sick things in my life, but this is…this is exactly what I mentally did   
to Battousai for my Jinchuu. He deserved it though. She is innocent.   
She doesn't deserve to be tortured.  
  
"After seeing all the scars, I insisted on a full…and I mean   
full…examination. Remarkably, she has not been touched in her   
reproductive area. I tried to ask her about it. After more coaxing, she   
told me they never pleased her." My eyes snap out of my rage. They   
never pleased her? Of course, by their sick standards, to rape her   
means they would be pleasuring her. Therefore, they made her do things   
to them while they tortured her saying it made her look more beautiful.   
I will kill them. I will kill every last one of them.  
  
Onee-san smiles at me. Yes. She wants revenge too. Their days are   
numbered now. Earlier, Onee-san didn't want me to kill, but things are   
different now. Now, I can kill. I can get revenge for what they did to   
Liya and her family. I can at least do that for her since I was the man   
who sold them their weapons. Except for that dagger. I have never seen   
it before. Who did they get it from? Liya probably knows.  
  
She's been telling me little things when they come up. We talk while we   
lie at night. I know she's not telling me everything. She conveniently   
leaves things out. No more. I will make her talk if I have to. I can't   
protect her without information. They will pay. They will suffer by my   
hands. I don't care what it takes. A new Jinchuu will begin…  
  
* * *  
  
Enishi is finally let into the room. He doesn't have any more blood on   
him. I guess he took a bath. His fresh robe opens slightly revealing an   
ample amount of his chest to me. The dagger from before is held tightly   
in his hand making the muscles of his arm flex as he possessively paces   
the room. I take it Dr. Gensai talked to him. Like Oibore, the man has   
a way about him that makes you talk. I believe I said something that I   
have been wanting to keep from Enishi. Of course, being a doctor, the   
man told my guardian…who is Enishi.  
  
"You're not telling me everything." He already knew that, but it never   
bothered him before. His teal eyes lock onto mine with the fierceness   
of a hunting tiger.  
  
"No. I'm not." I bow my head. He doesn't need to know. Please Enishi,   
don't ask me to tell you.  
  
Suddenly, he is crouching in front of me. His large calloused hand   
grips my chin and cheek turning it to force me to look at him. He moved   
so fast. It was as if he had pounced to attack. He is mere centimeters   
in front of me. His breathing is low and calm, yet intense and   
commanding. "I can't protect you without knowing everything." Just as   
swiftly as he came to be close to me, his expression changes. It   
softens, yet remains just as intense. His hand loosens its grip so that   
he runs his fingers through my hair before cupping the back of my head.   
Instinctively, I lift my face to him and silently gulp.  
  
Eyes flaring with an emotion I have yet to see on any man's face, he   
inches closer. His lips almost seem to brush mine. His voice is even   
lower now, gentle with un-experienced passion that I can't even begin   
to identify. "I will not lose you to these men. Tell me everything."   
How can I refuse such a request when he is looking at me with those   
eyes.   
  
I nod, unable to do anything else. The heat of his body leaves me.   
Giving me his full attention, he sits opposite me still clutching the   
dagger. "Do you know about this?" He holds it up for me to see. The   
dragon design on the hilt is unmistakable. Its ruby eyes glint at me.   
The blade looks as if it were cut to mimic fire. The craftsmanship is   
beyond compare. "It is a family heirloom the yakusa stole from my   
father's house. It is said to have been a gift from Shi Huangdi, the   
legendary first Emperor of China."  
  
"They used this to cut you for their pleasure." I nod swallowing my   
tears. His eyes seem to pierce me as if he is verifying that I am   
telling the truth, leaving nothing to the imagination. "I see…"  
  
"I will tell you everything from the beginning…as I know it."  
  
* * *  
  
Author's Note:  
  
No real notes in this one either. I hope you like it! 


	11. Chapter 11

Tang Mu  
  
Chapter 11  
  
"Father, what is wrong?" His hand shook with rage and fear as he   
gripped the neatly folded note. His mostly black hair looked grayer   
than before. He had been under much stress. I don't know what the   
stress was from, but it was taking its toll on him. Mother set a cup of   
tea in front of him. It was her special remedy to soothe troubled   
minds. She gave it to me often, especially since a marriage was to be   
arranged for me. I was ready to be a wife, or so I had been told.  
  
"Nothing daughter. Go back to making dinner." Mother was crying when I   
left. Later, I snuck in to father's room to see that the note had a   
similar painting to the one we received. Father was upset. Very rarely   
did he call me 'daughter' as opposed to my given name.  
  
That night when mother and father went to bed, father protected her as   
you did me. Except, he fell into the temptation of closeness. Mother   
became pregnant. After nine months, we forgot the threat as my baby   
brother was brought into the world. We were happy. My brother was   
handsome and healthy. He looked like father with mother's eyes.  
  
Two days later, there was a knock on the door. "Xu…I hear you have a   
new member of the family."  
  
"Go away. I owe you nothing." Snickering came from outside the door.   
Though I was frightened, I stayed behind a corner to overhear their   
conversation. However, there was no more conversation. Only the sound   
of steel cutting through something moderately soft, like a sharp knife   
slices through fruit, could be heard.  
  
"Steal what you want. Destroy everything else." Father's head rolled   
into the wall opposite the door as if it were kicked. Men came crashing   
through the entrance. They ransacked the house. I heard mother   
screaming from the living room. She had been feeding my brother up till   
then. Brother wailed as I heard the same sound that accompanied   
father's death over and over. Suddenly, my brother was silenced.  
  
The men were everywhere. I couldn't get out, so I hid as best I could.   
I could hear them scuffling about. They broke things in their effort to   
steal and destroy. Then, all the loud noises stopped. I waited hoping   
that meant they had left.  
  
A sound bigger than that of a firework exploding reverberated off of   
the walls of the house. Cold air swept past me as a huge metal ball   
tore my father's home in half. The men outside laughed as if they were   
having a festival. My ears rang from the sound of the cannon. I covered   
my head with my hands. I had to move. The house was no longer safe. But   
what would they do if they caught me?  
  
I heard them reloading the cannon. It was my chance. I escaped the   
house and tried to run as far as I could. "Hey!" I had been spotted!   
"Well, well." The man grabbed me by my hair. He peered at my face and   
smiled. "Boss! I found the daughter! Seems a waste to kill her!" He   
stroked my cheek and smelled my long hair. "Definitely a waste…"  
  
"Bring her here!"  
  
"Wouldn't want to hurt any of this beautiful hair. Now, would I." He   
took one more sniff before running his fingers down my spine to   
retrieve my wrist. I was tugged toward the voice that ordered the   
murder of my family.  
  
As I stood before the man, he lifted my chin and searched my eyes. "Xu   
has raised a beautiful daughter. You are certainly a succulent piece of   
eye candy. Aren't you?" Just like the man before him, he smelled my   
hair and skin. "You will pay your father's debt. Bring her along with   
the other goods!"  
  
I was taken to their stronghold where their whores dressed me as if I   
were a doll. They made me look younger than my age because it would be   
more tempting for the men. I was made to please them. They never   
touched me. That was what the whores were for. I was only to please   
them. I never want to do any of those things again.  
  
Once, I tried to escape. I got lost and found where they hid the things   
they stole from my father. To this day, it surprises me that the room   
was not guarded. My family's dagger was there. I tried to take it, but   
two of the men caught up to me. I was dragged back to the boss, Michio.   
The dagger was ripped from my grasp and used to carve small cuts across   
my stomach, chest, and back.  
  
"You're so pale when you're afraid Tang Mu." He began engrave the scars   
into my skin. "It's like blood upon a white plum blossom. Beautiful. To   
pay for your escape, you will say you are sorry to each man here until   
he is satisfied."  
  
As I pleased the men, I planned my escape. I had to wait. They were   
expecting it. I had to wait four years. Michio and his men are very   
patient. They make a living off of it. In that time, I tried to listen   
to rumors. I heard that they bought weapons from a mysterious, young   
Japanese with hair the color of an old man's. No one knew his name   
except for Michio. I tried to find out who it was, but I could never   
accomplish it…until now…Through all those rumors, I found nothing. No   
information on this debt they keep speaking of. Nothing. I was paying   
for something I didn't know about.   
  
After those four long years, I was cut and primped. I pleased and   
cried…and planned. Finally, I managed to steal my father's dagger. I   
hid it with a garter. We were on a boat to Japan. Apparently, Michio   
and many of his original men came from here. Just before they left,   
they hired a new member. The man didn't know that I was to please and   
not to be pleased. He tried to 'seduce' me, but I still had the dagger.  
  
I convinced him to 'take me' on one of the life boats. He was young and   
stupid. I killed him and lowered the boat. By the time I managed to   
pull far enough away from the ship to be considered on my way to   
freedom more men were already lowering their own boat. They eventually   
caught up with me. They tried to tip my boat. The dagger was lost to   
them again, but I managed to escape by beating them with my oar. Once   
on dry land, I ran until I came to a village. That is where I met you.  
  
* * *  
  
He remains silent for some time. Even when I mentioned the fact that he   
was the weapons dealer, he never flinched. I cried and he never   
comforted. Enishi simply remained rooted to his spot, his fists   
clenched upon his knees. The only indication that he wasn't catatonic   
were his eyes. They softened and intensified with his emotions.   
  
"You told me everything." It wasn't a question, yet I nod anyway. His   
eyes close as his fists relax. The dagger is set upon the wood floor   
beside him. Slowly, he rises and turns. "I will request some tea. We   
both need something to soothe our nerves, I believe." His voice has   
softened. It is still no where near the tone I am used to, but it will   
have to do for now.  
  
He opens the door to see the boy pass from the direction of Kaemon's   
room. "Yahiko…bring tea for the lady…please." His voice tightens with   
the last word. After some grumbling, the boy leaves to accomplish his   
chore.   
  
I told him everything. Now he knows me for what I am. I have dishonored   
my family name. Sold my body to men who were not worthy of it. Hot   
tears run down my face. He will no longer want to protect a woman so   
impure. Do I still want him to protect me? He sold my family's   
murderers weapons. No. He is not the same man they spoke of. He has   
changed. I don't want him to leave me. I need his comfort, his   
strength.  
  
He turns, hard teal eyes going soft at the pitiful sight of me. I know   
I am pitiful. I am helpless, weak. Suddenly, I feel a strong hand grasp   
my chin. Blinking, my face lifts to look into sea colored depths. "I   
told you. I will not lose you to them." Gently, he strokes my cheek. "I   
will not lose you. Do you still trust me?"  
  
Still? I smile as my lip quivers in my attempt to stop the tears from   
flowing. I have to be strong. He will lose hope if he doesn't see me   
smile. When he sleeps, he nearly chants his desire to see a smile.   
Whether he is speaking of his onee-san or me, it is the simple smile he   
yearns for. I will smile for him and give him strength. And, by   
protecting me, he will give me the strength to smile.  
  
He leans towards me as if he wishes to physically accept my offering,   
but a knock comes at the door. His eyes falter before he turns to take   
the tea the boy, Yahiko, has delivered. They exchange words through   
their expressions. The younger of the two scowls and leaves. The boy's   
antics cause my smile to widen.  
  
"Did he put Cho-chan to bed?" Enishi switches his attention back to me.   
His lips twitch forming what might have been the mischievous grin I   
have grown accustomed to over the past few months. Setting the cup of   
tea down in front of me, he sits intimately opposite me.  
  
"Yes. She wished for me to wish you good night for her." His mouth   
twitches once more. "I wasn't sure if I should do what she asked, but…I   
have made my decision." Carefully, he moves his cup to the side. His   
fingers lace around my drink as he removes it from my grasp. What did   
Cho-chan ask him to do? Like his, my cup is placed out of the way. He   
holds my face in his hand and gives a faint smile. "She says, 'Good   
night Liya-san…'" His lips briefly press against mine…  
  
* * *  
  
I admit that I was one of the people that made her life miserable, but   
I am also the one person she trusts and I am her protection. When I met   
her, she was not afraid of me, nor is she now. Perhaps that says   
something about my status as a monster. Battousai and his followers may   
think of me as a demon, but she and the two in the room next door do   
not. They are all that matter right now.   
  
"Did he put Cho-chan to bed?" That's right. She asked me to give her a   
good night kiss. Didn't she. I was meaning to forget the promise as it   
was something rather childish, but perhaps I should fulfill it.  
  
I turn and try to smile, but it doesn't seem right for some reason.   
After hearing such a painful story, I believe the mood should lighten.   
However, it may be too soon. I will let her decide. "Yes. She wished   
for me to wish you good night for her."  
  
After hearing her story, I know I am not worthy of her. Of course, what   
man is worthy of their woman? Kaemon may hate me for this, but I now   
realize I have fallen for her. Since the moment I came to notice her   
smile's importance, I have been in love with her. The passed out drunk   
in the next room deserves her more than I do, but he can't possibly   
love her the way I can…and will. "I wasn't sure if I should do what she   
asked, but…" No, I won't turn back now. I need her just as much as she   
needs me. "I have made my decision."  
  
Tea can wait. I set my tea aside. Onee-san pushes me on with a light   
smile. Our fingers touch as I innocently remove her cup from her grip.   
Stroking her cheek, our eyes lock in a searching gaze. Slowly, I inch   
forward. "She says, 'good night Liya-san…'" Our lips brush briefly   
before I make the contact more firm. I doubt Cho would give a good   
night kiss like this. In fact, it would be disturbing if she did.   
However, this is also a good night kiss from me.  
  
It is now that I realize just how much I have wanted to be with her   
like this. Not sexually, that can come later, but intimately. Since the   
moment she kissed my forehead, I have wanted to taste her lips. Each   
night that I rest by her side, I have wanted to be even closer to her.   
  
My hand lightly travels from her cheek, through her hair, to cup the   
back of her head. I press my lips even more firmly to hers. She has yet   
to push me away. Nonetheless, I leave myself open indicating that she   
has the power to do so at any time.  
  
I remain as I am. Will she accept me? My question is answered   
immediately as she tentatively wraps her arms around my neck. I lead us   
once more as we rise to our knees. One hand runs through her hair as   
the other winds around her waist to wander her back. Her fingers   
massage my scalp as if she is desperately clinging to her life support.   
I can't help but think my analogy is true as we, together, intensify   
our mouths' embrace.  
  
I hear her whimper with pleasure. It causes my body to react in ways   
they haven't been given the chance to do for a long time. Perhaps we   
are going too far. I don't want my body to expect something I have no   
intention of getting tonight. I will not make the same mistake her   
father did.  
  
I create a trail of kisses from the corner of her mouth to her neck for   
a lingering peck. She smells clean despite the medical ointments and   
herbs applied to the wound. I simply breathe her scent. My body craves   
more, but I force the sensation down. For now, this is all we will do.  
  
Her fingers comb through my white locks as I plant small kisses at the   
nape of her neck. Tea doesn't seem so tempting anymore, but perhaps it   
will calm my body down. I will never be able to properly protect her if   
I am thinking with my lower half as I am now. However, I am comfortable   
with her in my arms.  
  
"He was very kind to bring the tea for you as well." Yes, I suppose he   
was. We really should drink the rest. I reluctantly remove my breath   
from her neck to explore her eyes with mine. One last kiss. That's all   
I need. I press my lips to hers. We linger a bit too long and my body   
takes over again. My hand reaches up to cup her face as I threaten to   
start the cycle over again.  
  
She catches me by pulling away. "We should finish our tea before we   
sleep. It will…calm us…" Her placid smile is betrayed by her growing   
blush at the implications of her words. Almost as quickly as Kaemon   
finished his first choko of the evening, I finish the remaining liquid   
in my cup. Much to my body's dismay, Liya takes her time savoring the   
taste of the drink.  
  
"Things will be different now." We set our cups far enough away from us   
so that we can safely lie down.  
  
"Aa…" I barely resist the urge to gather her in my arms and continue   
our explorations. As usual for us, my arm wraps loosely around her   
waist. This time, however, I must avoid a wound. It's not a bad injury.   
Kaemon's hand prevented the dagger from making any major damage. He is   
quite brave when he is drunk.  
  
* * *  
  
Author's Notes:  
  
I hope the citrus was okay. I'm not very good at writing that kind of  
stuff, so I hope it was okay.  
  
Well, that's it from me! Thanks for reading! 


	12. Chapter 12

Tang Mu  
  
Chapter 12  
  
I never thought I would ever voluntarily enter a jail. Though I know   
Saitou would never go against his word, I can't help but feel wary   
about this. After all, I was once sentenced by this man. "I see you   
came." Speak of the devil.  
  
I don't bother to greet him. My eyes say enough. I'm out for blood.   
Last night, I decided not to kill the man yet. No. He will be cut,   
carved, just as Liya was. That will make my revenge much sweeter. "You   
proved yourself last night to be worthy of having this back. Don't make   
me regret my decision." Much to my astonishment, My sword, still   
wrapped in its cloth, is presented to me. I smile. This will make   
things much easier.  
  
"Has he confessed anything to you?" Saitou nonchalantly touches his   
famous Japanese sword. I take it the bastard hasn't been saying much.   
He'll find his tongue soon. That's for certain. "I never would have   
imagined you, of all people, working for the government."  
  
"It is the only way I can freely live out my ideal. Aku Soku Zan." Nice   
logic. I like that about Saitou. He's blunt and simple to understand,   
unlike Battousai who's…I don't really want to think about that right   
now. Saitou opens his office door and gestures for me to enter. The   
government treats him well. "Did you get your woman to talk last   
night?" He raises his eyebrow as he takes a seat at his desk and lights   
a cigarette. My eyes narrow at the implications in his voice, yet I   
find myself smirking anyway.  
  
"She is only an innocent victim in this. She doesn't know anything."   
His mouth twitches while he takes a long drag.  
  
"So she talked, did she?" He seems amused at our little conversation.   
Is he trying to be friendly? Interesting.  
  
"I forced her to tell me everything. She doesn't know anything that   
would be of use to you."  
  
"What about you? You sold them weapons didn't you?" I knew he'd ask   
that question at some point. So that's what this whole 'welcome me into   
the office' thing is.  
  
"Yes. I sold them several weapons. But, as a businessman, I don't ask   
my clients questions."  
  
"I see. What sort of weapons did you sell them?" He lights another   
cigarette and takes a drag. How does his wife put up with a chain   
smoker?  
  
"Mostly custom swords, hand guns, darts, and one custom made cannon   
that was specifically made to be able to transport easily." Is that   
intrigue I see in his eyes? "Yes. I memorize all my deals. Records can   
be deadly."  
  
"What about that dagger?" I pull the mentioned weapon from the secure   
spot between the back of my shirt and my pants. Tossing it to him, I   
let him look it over. If it hadn't been put to Liya's flesh the   
following night, I would openly remark on its exquisite design. I'll   
leave that to Saitou.  
  
"It was a family heirloom of Liya's. Michio's men stole it from them."  
  
"It smells of blood."  
  
"They used it to torture her and she killed a man with it so that she   
could escape." He raises an eyebrow at that.  
  
"Well, let's visit the prisoner then. Maybe you can get him to talk."   
We exchange wicked smirks as we stand and make our way to the cells.  
  
* * *  
  
"How you feeling, Kaemon?" He smiles as I enter the room with tea and   
soup. As usual, his fingers brush mine when he takes what I offer him.   
He is a sweet man, but he is not the man I want to spend my life with.   
At most, his self-delusions of subtlety do nothing but make me feel   
uncomfortable.  
  
"Better now…" More bluntly than before, his hand brushes my hair out of   
my face. My eyes snap to attention. He is being much bolder now that   
Enishi isn't here. "I was wondering. It is customary for twenty year   
olds to visit a shrine. Would you like to go with me?" His good hand   
grasps mine. "It would mean a lot to me." All I can do is blink at his   
sudden request.  
  
"Enishi say not safe." Snapping out of my astonishment, I proceed to   
place Cho-chan's food in front of her. "Morning Cho-chan!"  
  
"Morning Liya-san! Did Enishi-nii say good night for me like he   
promised?" So thoughtful! I smile, neither agreeing or disagreeing. I   
don't wish to upset Kaemon. It is still his birthday in my mind.  
  
"Liya…Will you go with me to the shrine?" He looks so hopeful, but it   
isn't safe for me to leave the clinic. He knows that.  
  
"Enishi say not safe. I-"  
  
"Enough about Enishi. You don't have to do his bidding all the time." I   
don't like the tone in his voice. My eyes narrow in both frustration   
and slight fear. Cho is biting her lip and nervously playing with her   
chopsticks. Why is he pressuring me about this? It would be nice to go   
to the shrine, but not when there are men who want to kidnap me.  
  
I wish I could tell him my fear, but I don't know enough of the   
language. I could try, but it would come out all wrong. It would upset   
him more. A man who is angry and jealous is a fearsome being. I don't   
want to see what kind of creature Kaemon would become, so I simply cast   
my eyes downward and stay silent.  
  
"Hey! She said she didn't want to go! Drop it!" Yahiko comes bursting   
in the room. His eyes are ablaze with the same frustration I am feeling.  
  
"Shut up brat! You don't know anything about this!" Kaemon stands to   
loom threateningly over the boy. Yahiko remains undaunted as he puts   
his wooden sword between me and the twenty year old man.  
  
"I know some pretty nasty men are looking for her! I may be just a kid,   
but even I can see when a guy is thinkin' too much with his pants! You   
just want to get her alone! Well, what if she gets kidnapped while   
you're at the shrine? Did your pants even think o' that?" Kaemon's eyes   
widen at the young man's outburst. I underestimated the youthful   
swordsman. He isn't a boy, but a young man. He and Enishi are   
obviously at odds, yet he still takes it upon himself to protect me.   
Only a real man would do something like that.  
  
"Onii-chan! Don't hurt Liya-san!" Cho-chan chimes in with Yahiko. So   
many people protect me. I have nothing to offer them in return. How can   
I possibly return their kindness?  
  
"Hello? Yahiko?" A man with flame-red hair wanders into the room. "Oh   
there you are. Kaoru-dono and I were getting worried, that we were."  
  
* * *  
  
Our man lies sprawled upon the ground. His eyes bluntly show their   
haziness. I grab him by his kimono. The man can't talk when he's being   
choked. "So…Yukio is it? You gonna talk?" He remains silent. Che,   
figures…  
  
"I didn't really want to use this," I say with a smirk, "but you leave   
me no choice."  
  
"Liar…" My smirk widens. He's still alive. That's good. That's very   
good. Slowly, I unwrap my sword. It glistens. Saitou must have polished   
it for me. How nice of him.  
  
"You're right. I am a liar." I press the tip of the blade against his   
pants. "So I'll cut to the chase. You don't talk and I get to avenge   
Liya."  
  
* * *  
  
"I see. So you're name is Liya. It is nice to finally meet you, that it   
is." This Kenshin seems very nice. If he is friends with Yahiko, I will   
trust him. "Yahiko told me all about what's been going on, that he has.   
How is your wound feeling?"  
  
"De gozaru…?" I was able to somewhat decipher what he said, but I have   
never heard this phrase. He says it a lot, so I think I should learn   
what it means.  
  
"Oro?"  
  
"It's just something he always says. He's being polite." The young   
samurai leans against the door frame with his wooden sword resting on   
his shoulder. I see. The phrase is simply an interesting quirk, like   
'oro'. I smile in understanding.  
  
Kaemon left a little while ago. He was still upset, but I believe he   
got the point. I am holding Cho. Her brother left in an almost violent   
flourish. I had forgotten how dangerous men can be when it comes to   
women. The little girl sniffles and rubs her eyes on my kimono.  
  
"Where is Enishi now?" His question catches me off guard. It's not that   
it was astonishing, just a rather abrupt return to where our   
conversation was going before. Kenshin's eyes have narrowed with the   
seriousness of the matter. His wife is a lucky woman. He is very   
attractive no matter what mood he is in.  
  
"He talk to man at jail." The red-haired man before me gives a knowing   
smile. Does he know something I don't? What kind of past has Enishi had   
with these people? They seem to know a part of him I haven't seen. He   
told me he hurt these people. How did he hurt them? Yahiko scoffs and   
mumbles about Enishi 'talking'.   
  
"What Enishi do?" Kenshin's eyes widen as Yahiko snaps his attention   
onto me.  
  
"He didn't tell you?"  
  
"He say he hurt you. That all." Yahiko leaves. His face is contorted   
with anger. I think he's trying to control himself. He doesn't want to   
upset me. What did Enishi do to these people to make them react like   
this? Kenshin sighs and takes a long sip of his tea. When he sets his   
cup down, I notice that his eyes are now laced with golden specks. I   
knew a foreigner once who's eyes changed color when he felt strong   
emotions. They called the color 'hazel'. Is this similar? What did   
Enishi do?  
  
* * *  
  
Yukio writhes on the floor. I warned him. It's his fault he thought I   
was bluffing. He must not have heard too much about me from his fellow   
yakusa members. "I'll ask you again." I press the tip of my blade   
against his belly. He will endure all of Liya's wounds each time he   
doesn't speak. "Talk or I avenge." The man makes a sound like he's   
choking on his tongue. I know the pain must be great. Good. He deserves   
it. The smell of blood evades my senses giving me a rush I haven't felt   
in a long time.  
  
"I…I don't know anything!" My eyes narrow. I don't believe him. My   
blade presses more firmly against him showing him my lack of trust.   
"Honest! I don't…!" He holds what used to be his manhood and makes   
choking sounds between sobs. Through his pain, he begins mumbling   
incoherently about his lack of knowledge. Now I believe him. The pain   
is finally taking its toll. It took long enough for the shock of my   
deed to lose effect. I stand and swipe the blood off my sword. There is   
no use talking to him now. He won't be able to make full sentences for   
a while.  
  
"I'm done…for now…" I call to the jail keeper. True to Saitou's word, I   
am let out. "We will chat again in two days time. I shouldn't be so   
nice." Yukio's mumbling becomes more desperate as he begins rocking   
back and forth. I have given him quite a blow. Next time he shouldn't   
test me.  
  
"Did he talk?" I toss an unreadable glare at the chief. He orders   
someone to take the man to the jail infirmary. Even inmates need some   
medical attention sometimes. That man will need a lot more if we're   
going to get anything out of him.  
  
"He says he doesn't know anything." I take a step in order to leave,   
but Saitou's sheathed sword blocks my path. It rests mid-air just in   
front of my neck. The sheath shows me he merely wants to stop me from   
leaving. He is not taking me into custody. With that in mind, I openly   
glare at him.   
  
"I'm surprised you didn't get anything out of him."  
  
"He's scared of me now. He'll talk once he's healed." The Japanese   
sword is lowered. His golden eyes tell me I am free to leave at any   
time.  
  
* * *  
  
"Enishi did many horrible things to my family to get to me. He thinks I   
purposely killed his sister. I don't blame myself anymore for what   
happened. It was an accident. I loved her. She was my wife. He had   
every right to be angry and seek revenge, but he took it much too far.   
That is all I will tell you. He should be the one to tell you the   
rest." Kenshin finishes the conversation with a drawn out sip of his   
tea. When he opens his eyes, they have returned to their former violet   
shade. "After he tells you his side of the story, come to me for my   
side. I will tell you all I know, that I will. It is good that you   
wish to understand his past, that it is."  
  
My eyes narrow with this new information. Enishi's past just seems   
further from me now. There are parts to him that I don't think I'll   
ever understand. I have wanted to hear his story for some time now.   
Every so often, I gently ask. Each time, he brushes it off with anger   
in his eyes. I want to know. He knows my past now. It is only fair that   
I should know his. After all, he is the man I want to spend my life   
with. I openly admitted that last night when I accepted his kiss.  
  
Mother told me a wife knows her husband inside and out. True, they have   
their secrets, but this is too big to be kept from me. As he did me, I   
will have to force him to tell me everything. Perhaps if I mention   
Kenshin visited the clinic today it will make him angry enough to blurt   
it all out. I hate seeing him angry, but if I am to be his woman I will   
have to face that fear.  
  
Kenshin stands with the tray he brought the tea in with. While I was   
thinking, he was cleaning up after us apparently. I didn't even notice.   
"No. Woman's work." I rise and place my hands on the tray. He simply   
stares blankly at my attempt to take over his chore.  
  
Finally, he relinquishes the tray to scratch his head. "Sessha guesses   
he's so used to it now…" Sessha? Another quirk? Anyway, I get the idea.   
He is too polite.  
  
"You too polite." He chuckles at that.  
  
"Yes. That is what Sessha's wife says too, that she does."  
  
"Battousai…" We look up to see Enishi glaring from the doorway.  
  
* * *  
  
Author's Notes:  
  
Well, I hope you liked this chapter! I know it's long, but I like how  
I ended it so there! *sticks out tongue* Heh...Anyway, I'm working  
as fast as I can to get these chapters out to you. Unfortunately, now  
I'm not so sure of what to write. I didn't plan the story out this far.  
So, please bear with me! I'll do the best I can for you guys!  
  
Thanks for reading! 


	13. chapter 13

Tang Mu  
  
Chapter 13  
  
"Battousai…" Enishi looms from the doorway.  
  
"Hello Enishi. Liya-dono is a very nice woman. You are very lucky."   
Kenshin tries to keep things light, but to no avail. The man now   
entering the room is fuming with barely suppressed rage.  
  
"What are you doing here Battousai?" His eyes show an anger that was   
already present before he even got to the clinic.  
  
"I do not go by that name anymore Enishi." His speech just changed   
again. I believe he is prepared to fight if need be. Please don't   
fight. This is a clinic. There are sick people here. My eyes dart from   
one man to the other. "I came because Kaoru and I were worried about   
Yahiko when he did not show up for his lesson, that we were."  
  
Enishi narrows his eyes making him look even more dangerous. Something   
is slung over his shoulder. He didn't have that when he left the   
clinic today. He also has…blood on him. There are thick splotches of   
the red liquid all over him. Did he kill? My eyes widen. Enishi has   
noticed what I'm looking at. I can see it in his eyes. "I see Saitou   
gave you back your sword. I trust you will use it wisely."  
  
A growl sends shivers down my spine. In an instant, the blade is freed   
from its cloth prison. Enishi raises it so that the tip points at   
Kenshins throat. "Onee-san doesn't want me to kill you, but that   
doesn't mean I can't make your new life a living hell…Battousai…"  
  
Kenshin closes his eyes as if he is thinking. He is very brave to close   
his eyes at a man who has a sword at his throat. "I understand. I was   
just leaving anyway." Violet eyes open to fall upon me. He gives me a   
polite smile. "It was nice meeting you Liya-dono. Sessha hopes we can   
talk again some time." With his finger, he removes the threat from his   
throat. His finger bleeds from the contact with the blade. He gives me   
a slight bow before picking up the tray of tea and leaving the room.  
  
Much to my astonishment, Enishi doesn't follow to make sure Kenshin is   
leaving. With the way his eyes are shimmering with hate, I would think   
he would. My mouth opens to ask. "When Battousai says he's leaving, I   
know he's leaving." How did he know I was going to ask that?  
  
He sheaths his sword and lets it lean against the wall. "Enishi…I-"  
  
"You didn't know. It's okay." No. It's not okay, but I will not argue   
with him. My eyes begin to lower in order to submit to his command, but   
I will not succumb to that. Instead, I continue to peer into his pools   
of glowing teal. I step forward, still watching him, to silently   
inquire about the blood on his clothing.  
  
My fingers touch the dark splotches that adorn his clothed chest. It is   
fresh blood. I rub it with my index finger and thumb. It's very fresh.   
He stares at me with slowly calming eyes as I explore more droplets of   
blood. "He did not die." I nod and continue my inquisitive wandering.   
"It is not all his blood."  
  
My eyes shift to look at him. "I was attacked on the way here." My eyes   
narrow with urgency. What happened? Now, my search includes looking for   
any injuries on him. I circle him to check his back. Almost amusedly,   
he spreads his arms to make my investigation easier. I remove his   
cape-like jacket. There aren't any tears in the fabric, but that   
doesn't mean anything. He could have taken it off while he was   
fighting.  
  
It looks like he did. There are more blood spots on his back, yet no   
injuries. "Your clothes need to be cleaned before the blood stains   
them."  
  
"The men were only stupid minions of Michio. They are dead. Their boss   
was testing my ability with the sword." I nod again as I circle to face   
him. Innocently, my fingers slip the buttons out of their prison. It   
needs to be cleaned. So do his pants actually, but he can take those   
off. If I were to do so…it would be too improper.  
  
My objective has been reached, his eyes show no lingering hate toward   
Kenshin. Instead, they are hungry with amusement as he watches me   
remove his clothes with the diligence of a dutiful wife. At last, I   
slide the garment off of him. It gathers on the floor in a heap of   
fabric and blood. All that is left is a thin, black, sleeveless   
undershirt of sorts. It is tight showing me all the muscles of his   
chest and arms. I can't help but look and admire.  
  
His hands catch me off guard as they rest on my hips. "You are doing   
this on purpose." I smile and press my luck. My fingers work of their   
own accord as they run up his chest. Things are too tense, especially   
since Kenshin visited. Perhaps this can lighten the atmosphere. More   
slowly than before, I unfasten the clasps of his undershirt. He is   
smirking now. I am doing well.  
  
Ever since I was first forced to please the men of the yakusa, I vowed   
never to please a man again. This is different though. This is the man   
I love. I don't have to worry about my honor with him. He can help me   
redeem my father's good name. Even if he takes me before we are wed, he   
can do no harm. I am willing to please him because he will love me in   
return.  
  
"You do realize what you're doing?" He raises his eyebrow as he shrugs   
out of his shirt. My eyes tell him that I do indeed know what I'm   
doing. My fingers semi-innocently explore the contours of his chest and   
arms. He is still so tense. Perhaps I should give him a massage. That   
would certainly loosen him up.  
  
"We need to clean your clothes." My voice is overly immaculate. I let   
my fingers trail along his chest as I circle around to pick up his   
clothes. "You should bathe as well. Your face has blood on it." I bend   
to retrieve the garments. His eyes are on me with the intense gaze he   
had the night before.  
  
* * *  
  
What is she up to? I watch her pick up my clothes. She purposely bends   
at the waist. I find myself smirking at her successful attempts to turn   
me on. She really doesn't have to do much actually. Her eyes beckon me   
to follow. I eagerly, yet calmly obey.  
  
I wanted to wait until this threat was eradicated, but she did start   
this. "Will you be joining me?"  
  
"I was going to wash your clothes, but if it pleases you." My right   
hand nearly breaks through the wall in my attempt to block her path.   
She gasps and backs into the wall. Closing in on her, my smirk widens.  
  
"Only if it pleases you." She smiles at that. Gods how I love her   
smile. I could survive on that alone.  
  
"Then we should wash your clothes first." That sounds fine to me. I   
lean closer to her as my arms wrap around her waist. If anyone has a   
problem with this public show of affection, they'll just have to deal   
with it. Once again, my clothes are on the floor and a replay of last   
night ensues.  
  
I feel Kaemon come around the corner. One last little kiss and we will   
go wash my clothes. I release her with a genuine smile. The other man   
will have to get used to not getting his way all the time. I noticed   
Ms. Tae looking at him while we were there…before he was drunk. Perhaps   
he should try for her instead.  
  
* * *  
  
"I see you found out about Enishi's threat." I don't even bother to   
look up at the familiar voice.  
  
"He slaughtered them." I feel the blood stained ground. Bodies litter   
the street. They attacked first. He merely defended himself. They were   
nothing but pawns. Enishi knew that, yet he still slaughtered them.  
  
"He defended himself. Some of us don't believe in not killing like   
you." I have to admit, Saitou has a point there.  
  
"Why are these people after him?"  
  
"They're after his woman, he just happens to be in the way." I walked   
into that obvious remark. Rising, I decide these remains won't help me   
solve the enigma.  
  
"Is there any way I can help?" Enishi won't want my help, but perhaps I   
can give my services from the shadows. My debt to Tomoe hasn't been   
fulfilled yet. I owe her this much. He has just found happiness and now   
he has been threatened.  
  
"I think he can handle this on his own. He handled the interrogation of   
that yakusa member rather well. You being brotherly would merely pour   
salt on his healing wounds." He's right. I will step aside on this and   
be satisfied with watching.  
  
* * *  
  
I must be very tense. Even the simple task of washing clothes is   
turning me on. Her arms are elbow deep in the water as she scrubs the   
blood out of the fabric. She may not be very strong, but I still like   
watching her muscles flex with the effort. I never really got to   
experience the ravenous adolescent years most men brag about. Perhaps my body is   
making up for it now. She is manipulating me much too easily, but   
that's alright. She's allowed to manipulate me. I'll do whatever she   
wants me to do.  
  
"You are staring like you've never seen a woman work before." She   
chuckles at my intense gaze as she wrings out the last garment. With a   
firm shake, droplets glisten in the late afternoon sun. They sparkle   
around her with picturesque precision. All I can do is smile. If I were   
to respond to that, I would run the risk of sound too romantic. I don't   
consider myself to be a romantic. I think with my pants like any other   
man. I just happen to be in more control than most.  
  
* * *  
  
Look at them washing clothes together. Or…Liya is washing Enishi-kun's   
clothes and he's watching like a hungry tiger. Her occasional glances   
tell me she wants him just as much. What is this feeling I'm getting? I   
want to show her that I'm better. I want her to see me. She never had   
any intention of considering courting me like she hinted at in the   
Akabeko. She loved him the whole time. I should be happy that she is   
happy, but I can't. I just can't.  
  
He's older than her. Shouldn't she fall for a man more her age? I'm the   
same age as her. To top it off, Enishi isn't the most mentally stable   
man. I saw him when he first showed up at Rakuminmura. He mumbled to   
himself constantly about how his revenge failed. He still reads that   
damn book. The pages should be falling out soon. He talks to some dead   
woman as if she's still alive and smiling at him. He screams in his   
sleep. True, he hasn't done that in a while. In fact, he hasn't done   
that since Liya showed up. That can't be just a coincidence.  
  
So she's tamed the beast known as Yukishiro Enishi. She calms him.   
That's a good thing. Right? What about me? I was certain she would be a   
good mother for Cho-chan. They certainly get along like a mother and   
daughter should. What went wrong? Why was I not good enough?  
  
Now they're getting up. The clothes are hanging up to dry. He sneaks   
behind her and wraps his arms about her waist. I cringe as I witness   
him whispering in her ear. She giggles and leans in to him. I should   
have been the one to get her to laugh like that. I want to be the one   
to whisper sweetly in her ear, to make her blush. It's not fair. It's   
just not fair.  
  
* * *  
  
I move behind her. "You know…" I move her hair and whisper in her ear.   
"Your kimono is dirty now too." She giggles at feel of my breath on her   
ear. She's already so responsive. I want to show her how good pleasure   
can be. All she knows is the abuse surrounding it. It's always been a   
hateful experience for her. I want to change that. If she does come   
with me to the bath house, I will make sure to show her.  
  
Kaemon is nearby, but that doesn't matter. He won't be able to follow   
where we're going. We can escape his negative ki when we enter the   
bath house. "Then what do you suggest?" Her voice is a bit too pure for   
the implications flowing from her sentence. I could suggest a lot of   
things, but it wouldn't be proper to do so in such a public place.   
Instead, I lead her to the bath house.  
  
* * *  
  
Che…They're going to take a bath together!? I don't even want to think   
about that, especially since I can't do anything about it. Enishi is   
much stronger than me. Does she realize what a dangerous man he is?! Of   
course she does, that's why she trusts him to protect her.  
  
Turning, I swiftly make my way into the clinic. Yahiko is still here.   
Maybe he can watch Cho. I'm going into town for a while. I can get my   
mind off things if I go to the Akabeko for a little bit. I'll   
just…sneak a little money off Enishi-kun. He deserves it. I find his   
purse and take a decent amount. He won't miss it if I don't take too   
much.  
  
* * *  
  
Author's Notes:  
  
Hiya guys! Thanks for still reading my work! I really appreciate it!  
I hope this chapter was to your liking! I hope I got all the  
characters right! Thanks again for reading! 


	14. chapter 14 *lemon* If you're not into le...

Tang Mu  
  
Chapter 14  
  
Liya's hands shake as her obi gathers on the floor. Normally after   
seeing her tremble like this, I would instruct her to stop. However,   
the determined look upon her face makes me rethink that idea. I step   
forward and brush her hands out of the way. She turns abruptly to stare   
at my softened features. "It's only fair." A smile brightens her face   
at the reference to my still bare chest.  
  
Slowly, chords fall to the ground. I slip my hands under the kimono to   
slip the silk off her shoulders. It pools on the wood floor in vibrant   
reds and whites. More chords follow. Now nothing bars my hands from her   
skin. I press my palm against her abdomen. It brushes against the scar   
eliciting a sharp breath from her. I slip my arms around her waist.   
They trail up her sides to rest on her shoulders. As before, I let it   
glide off her form revealing her body to me.  
  
Her eyes are so trusting. I would think she would be nervous, even   
already making attempts to stop me. Despite the fact that the men of   
the yakusa never touched her sexually, one would think she would still   
be tremendously shy around a man now that she is no longer being   
forced. Yet here she is, so trusting of me…and only me, which in itself   
is odd considering my past. Who would have thought a woman of such   
beauty and kindness would love me? It almost seems absurd.  
  
I lean forward to capture her lips. She presses herself against my   
body. At this rate, we may not make it into the bath. Her breasts brush   
against my chest sending shivers down my spine. Her body is already   
responding to the sensations and heat I am giving off. In my passion, I   
lift her off the ground. Her back against the wall, she opens her mouth   
to me without me even seeking entrance. One hand keeps her steady,   
while the other wanders over the curves of her flesh.  
  
I want to make her drunk with pleasure. We are going far too fast for   
that, but it doesn't matter. We can slow down later. This feels too   
good right now. Her fingers begin to explore. They smoothly run over my   
chest making sure to press in all the right places. I can't help but   
growl at the sensation.  
  
My touch carefully avoids her wound. I'm surprised I haven't hurt her   
yet with how roughly we've been showing our affection. Just the same, I   
do know that nerves tend to be more sensitive around an injury. Without   
hurting her, my fingers graze the over-sensitive flesh near the healing   
cut. As expected, she gasps. Her head gracefully throws itself back   
allowing me access to her neck. I ravish it as if it is a delicacy, but   
this is just the appetizer. Much more is to come. I assure it.  
  
I watch her respond to my attention with fascination. Her eyes are   
clenched shut; her mouth is open in a silent moan. Never in my wildest   
dreams did I ever think of a woman reacting so much to such a simple   
sensation. I can't even begin to imagine how she will react once I   
really start showing her how good pleasure can be.  
  
My mouth travels south. She exhales in fluttering breaths as her body arches   
against the wood panels of the wall. I nip at an already taut nipple   
while her fingers roughly run through my hair pressing me closer to   
her. My legs are getting weak from how well she's reacting to my touch.   
I release her from the wall. Smoothly, we lower ourselves to the floor.   
My mouth never leaves her skin as I settle myself over her.  
  
Leaving wet trails over her body, I trace each of her scars. So much   
has been done to her in the name of revenge. She deserves my attention   
like none other. I no longer want to just see her smile or simply hear   
her laugh, I want to see her shudder and arch because of me. I want to   
hear my name float off her lips in the heat of passion. I want to feel   
her experience unending pleasure from my hands and my hands alone…Well,   
my hands and any other body part that comes to mind.  
  
As I dip my tongue in her navel, her silent moans become more verbal. I   
find that I like the sound. I like the sound a lot. My body has never   
reacted like this to any woman. I want to hear much more from her. I   
don't like her keeping her reactions to herself. Hungrily, I let myself   
travel lower. Her hands lash out. They pull me up to meet her face as   
she attacks me with a brilliant array of kisses.  
  
I let her ravage my mouth as my fingers take over where my tongue left   
off. Feigning coyness, I lazily run a finger over the slick folds of   
flesh nestled between her legs. Almost immediately, her chin lifts   
allowing me to feast upon her neck. Her throat vibrates with the sounds   
coming from her vocal chords. They tickle my lips making me want more.  
  
I press my fingers more firmly and let another join the fray. She   
whispers my name. It's music to my ears. I reward her with an avid kiss   
as my fingers slip into her. The kiss is broken. My name is proclaimed   
as if it will provoke a celebration. Perhaps it will. Her body is   
pleasantly frustrated with my ministrations. They shift like they don't   
know whether to run or lie still. Her hips lift off the floor pressing   
me further into her. She calls my name again while my fingers play   
within her. Her mouth fights between gentleness, fierceness, and nearly   
singing verbal responses.  
  
She's getting closer. I think. She's so responsive it's hard to tell. I   
press the remainder of my hand to her mound locating the tiny nub   
there. Her back instantly arches completely off the floor. Her lip   
bleeds in an effort not to scream. I kiss away the blood as I release   
her. As I had wanted to do before, I taste the juices left on my   
fingers. She laughs trying to cover up her embarrassment at my   
curiosity.  
  
Much slower than before, we exchange gentle kisses as her body calms   
down. Her fingers continue to explore, though not as feverishly. They   
travel down my chest and back pressing and grazing in their wanderings.   
I close my eyes at the sensations. Even if she came by knowledge in   
anything but an ideal way, she is certainly good at it.  
  
Almost too slowly, she unties the chords of my pants. "Are you sure?"   
She smiles gently at my concern. I don't want her to think she owes me   
for the pleasure I gave her. With a light chuckle, she kisses my   
forehead as her hand dips into the silk garment.  
  
"I want to…" She purrs.  
  
* * *  
  
Author's Notes:  
  
I know this chapter is short, but I wanted the entire lemon to be in  
one chapter and not have anything else vital with it. That way, if  
you're not into lemons, you can skip this chapter and go on without  
missing much. I also purposely stopped it there because I didn't  
want to risk the quality of my writing. Where the lemon was going,  
I have no experience. If I were to continue, it would make turn the  
into something I don't want. It would probably turn generic and   
pornish. I didn't want to risk that, so I left it up to your  
imagination at the end. I hope it sounded okay. Thanks for reading! 


	15. Chapter 15

Tang Mu  
  
Chapter 15  
  
"I remember you!" I think her name is Tae, but it doesn't really matter.   
She giggles as I nod. Why is she giggling? Her hips sway suggestively   
as she leads me to a table. I raise an eyebrow in response. Her blush   
confuses me. Wasn't she just trying to catch my eye? Anyway, it doesn't   
really matter. I'm not interested in this woman.  
  
"What can I get for you?" With a bright smile, she holds her tray to   
her chest.  
  
"Sake…Please…"  
  
"Anything else?" Her features are contorted with concern. Why? Hasn't   
she ever heard a man order just sake?  
  
"No…"  
  
"Well alright, as long as you pace yourself this time." She winks and   
escapes into the back. Pace myself? I suppose she doesn't want to have   
a drunk on her hands. Maybe I should order food with my drink then. I   
heard that keeps people from getting too drunk.  
  
* * *  
  
I snake my arm around her as we bathe. By her direction, the changing   
room has been cleaned to her liking. It was very dirty. I smile at the   
memory and pull her closer to me. She seems exhausted. Apparently, I   
have more stamina than most men.  
  
"Dr. Gensai said we are okay to go home tomorrow." We? Oh! Kaemon! Yes.   
I guess we're going back to the village tomorrow then. Suddenly, I am  
reminded of Battousai again. That bastard just had to show up today. We   
can ignore him in Rakuminmura. Even if he is friendly, I don't want him   
or his friends turning Liya against me or anything. Not that Battousai   
would do that, but his friends might.  
  
"What's wrong?" She sighs as I unclench a fist I don't even remember   
forming. Suddenly, I feel her shift and rise. Where is she going? I   
watch her sit upon the edge of the bath directly behind me. What is she   
doing? With heavy grace, she trails her hands from my shoulders to my   
neck. Her fingers make deliberate circles along my tense muscles.  
  
"Why do you let him bother you?" Why?! I unconsciously tense and begin   
to get up. I don't want to talk about this. Her fingers almost   
painfully press against a sore muscle forcing me to stay put. "He is   
nothing but an over-polite man with a bloody past. Why does he bother   
you?"  
  
"You have no idea what you're talking about!" She presses another sore   
spot. Normally, I would be able to ignore the simple pressure, but this   
is different somehow. The fact that she is serious enough about this   
conversation that she feels the need to punish me with pressure point  
techniques is throwing my masculine strength out the window.  
  
"Then, tell me." She presses yet again causing me to wince and hiss.   
  
Her voice is surprisingly soft and lulling considering the present   
strength of her fingers. I suppose I should tell her everything. It's   
only fair. Still, I find myself scowling. She presses harder and I   
relinquish.  
  
"Alright! Alright! I'll tell you! Gods woman!" She smacks my shoulder   
before continuing with the massage.  
  
* * *  
  
"I think you've had enough…" Without waiting for a response, I begin to   
clean off the table. It's starting to get late. Most of the other   
customers have left and they're Tsubame's tables. I invite myself to   
sit down. The guy just looks so pitiful. He looks like he lost his   
girl.  
  
"Do ya wanna talk about it Honey?" I gently put my hand on his back.   
Almost immediately, he begins to cry. I've never seem a man cry before,   
except for my dad. His head falls to the table with a pathetic thump.   
People are staring, but he's drunk so it doesn't matter.  
  
"Why does she love him!?" He suddenly blurts out, surprising me. His   
fists clench as he pounds the table. Thinking only of table number 6, I   
take his hands to prevent property damage. He squeezes my hands until   
it seems they will fall off.  
  
"You mean that little Chinese girl and Enishi?" He growls making me   
yelp. Now, everyone is staring. Most are regulars. A couple have tried   
to court me. They actually start to get up until I smile and wave them   
off. "It's okay!" Louder this time, he begins crying again. I thought   
the couple looked good together, especially since she managed to calm   
him down before he caused too much damage. She also got him to leave a   
wonderful tip the last time they were here. The money nearly paid for   
an eighth of the damage caused by his "Revenge". I thought that was   
very thoughtful of them.  
  
"He isn't even sane! I don't get it!" Well, I get it. Enishi loves her   
and you're being a brat about it. "I had a tough past too, but I'm not   
insane!" I beg to differ…Sighing, I rub his back as he complains and   
cries.  
  
* * *  
  
"That bastard killed her! Cold-blood! I've read her diary over and over   
and I still don't get it! She loved him. And he killed her! I had to   
get revenge, but he was too powerful. He could have slaughtered me with   
his little finger back then. So I fled. I found myself in Shanghai. I   
lived off of garbage and what I could kill. That is…until a kind and   
gentle Japanese couple found me. They took pity on me and brought me   
into their home. I killed them and took their money and valuables. They   
had a book that taught me a fighting style. I perfected it and molded   
it into my own personal style. I worked my way up in the shadows of   
Shanghai. I became a weapons dealer and planned my revenge on   
Battousai. I used his friends as a way to put him through hell before I   
attempted at killing him. I hired 'comrades', one of which destroyed   
the former Akabeko. Anyone Battousai knew and might know were targets,   
especially his woman. One of my men created a life-like doll of her. I   
kidnapped her while he pinned the doll to the dojo wall with a sword so   
that she appeared dead. As expected, Battousai became lost. He suffered   
while I waited. My revenge would only be complete when he was dead, but   
that didn't happen. My sister stopped smiling at me; he didn't die.   
Everything failed. I escaped being taken to prison and came to   
Rakuminmura. A year later, I met you."  
  
His voice is barely a whisper by the end of his story. He has had an   
awesome and terrible past. Kenshin's family has every right to hate him   
as they do…and he has every right to hate them as he does. But, there   
is a piece missing. Both men are different now. That is certain. Things   
just don't add up. Why would Kenshin kill Enishi's sister if she loved   
him…and he loved her. He did say that they were married and that he   
did, indeed, love her in return. This is confusing. Perhaps it is time   
to take Kenshin's invitation now.  
  
"Tomorrow, we go see Kenshin."  
  
* * *  
  
"And there he was! He was slaughtered by the stringy-haired demon with   
golden eyes! Mother died when Cho was born, so no one could take care   
of her but me!" He's balling now. This is really getting bad. Everyone   
has left. Half of them weren't even done with their meals yet. He picks   
up an empty choko and tries to drink. I don't know what he got out of   
it, but he looks satisfied now as he continues his tirade.  
  
"Um…Tae-san…" Tsubame hides behind her tray while eyeing the drunkard.   
I smile and pat his back.  
  
"It's okay. Let's take him back to the clinic. That's where Yahiko said   
Enishi was staying for now." Her eyes widen, but she nods anyway and   
lowers her tray. Setting it on top of mine, we somehow manage to lift   
his arms around our shoulders as we heave him into a standing position.   
I don't know how this is going to work since Tsubame is shorter than   
me, but we'll just have to make due. "Come on Kaemon-kun. We're going   
home." I say with the enthusiasm of a tired mother.  
  
"You're taking me home with you? You're so niiiice Tae-chan!" He leans   
towards me. I wince at the smell of alcohol, but smile just the same.   
"I love you guys. I'm drunk as hell and you're walking me home with   
you…and you don't care!" He tries to gesture with his hands, but fails   
for obvious reasons. His antics cause Tsubame and I to lose our hold.   
We plummet to the ground. I groan as he giggles insanely to himself and   
the others around him.  
  
Suddenly, I hear him choke on his laughter. He audibly gulps causing   
Tsubame and I to divert our attention to the area surrounding us.   
Yakusa are circling our little group like wolves circle their prey. A   
smug smile is all I see before everything goes black.  
  
* * *  
  
"Tomorrow, we go see Kenshin." Is she kidding?! Hasn't she heard a   
single word I said!? No! Absolutely not! I forbid it! "Story is not   
whole. Kenshin answer question." I stare at her with the most shocked   
expression I can muster. Her massaging stopped a long time ago. She is   
now standing. Though she's normally calm and submissive, her face   
suddenly becomes commanding. It doesn't matter though. I will not go to   
my sister's killer to talk!  
  
"Child!" I force myself not to flinch at her harsh tone. Her onyx eyes   
pierce through me with the ferocity of an unhappy wife. She is speaking   
in Japanese, which she only does to me when she means business. "You   
are child. Man get all knowledge before fight. You act like spoiled   
child who lose favorite toy."  
  
"You don't know what it's like to see your own sister murdered in front   
of you!" That was a stupid comment, but it doesn't matter. She's   
treading on thin ice with this conversation.  
  
"You know I know. Yakusa have no honor. Revenge good. Kenshin change.   
Now, he have honor. Now, revenge not good. You talk Kenshin. Get all   
knowledge. Make story whole. Yes." I don't like this. "I go with you.   
You not do stupid thing." I growl at that. She is undaunted by my   
threatening ki. I know she feels it, but it's not stopping her. "You   
not have to like. You just do."  
  
"What if I refuse?" I'm still growling. I don't care if it's not   
working.  
  
"I not smile. 'Nee-san not smile. You alone." Gritting my teeth, I   
avoid her hard glare. I guess I have no choice. I'll have to force   
myself to be in the same room with Battousai.  
  
* * *  
  
Author's Notes:  
  
No real notes, except that I'd like to thank my roommate from my  
freshman year of college for the drunk scenes. The whole 'I love you  
guys' part came from real events, so I have to give credit where it's  
due. Thanks Kristin!!  
  
Thank you for waiting so long for the next chapters. I hope I can write  
the next ones soon. I'm having a bit of writer's block. *nervous  
laughter* Well, I hope this one was just as good as the others!!  
Thanks for reading! 


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16  
  
"So…I guess I'm stuck with you again today." Cho gives me a broad smile   
before latching on to my leg. What?!  
  
"I love you Yahiko-chan!" Where did that come from?! Every time I am   
forced to be with this little girl, she does something strange like   
this. What's next?! This is going to be a long day…  
  
* * *  
  
"Coming!" Who could be visiting? I don't remember inviting anyone. With   
an annoying creak, I open the door to my dojo. "Aaaaaaaaagh!!!"  
  
"Kaoru! What's wrong!?" Kenshin runs out of the house with Kenji in his   
arms. Before me, is a meekly smiling woman with the man who put us   
through hell last year behind her. She is holding his hand as if she   
had to force him to come to our door. He growls at the sight of   
Kenshin. His beady teal eyes dart from father to son, and narrow.   
"Enishi…!" The mentioned man looks away, obviously angry at being   
dragged to this place.  
  
"Day before yesterday, you say we talk when Enishi tell me story. Last   
night, Enishi tell everything he know. Now, you talk." She waits   
patiently for one of us to let them in. Kenshin?  
  
"Kaoru…get tea." He hands me our son and smiles at our 'guests'. "We   
have a lot to talk about, that we do." Enishi seems disturbed by how   
quickly we are letting him into our home. Apparently, he was expecting   
us to kick him out while screaming obscenities at him.   
  
I turn to get the tea ready. We bought some good cakes yesterday. Maybe   
I could serve those as well. I think that would be nice. Nice?! What am   
I thinking?! This is Enishi we're talking about! I hold Kenji closer to   
me. He won't touch him. He won't come near my baby. I don't care if   
he's stronger than me. I'll defend my child! But…if he wanted my baby,   
wouldn't he have done something by now? This doesn't make sense. I'm so   
confused. I'll just make the tea.  
  
* * *  
  
"Are you still being threatened?" I notice Enishi has his sword with   
him. He must be pretty uneasy with the yakusa around. Speaking of being   
uneasy, he just scoffed at me. I see. I'll have to talk to him through   
Liya-dono. "What kinds of questions do you have?"  
  
She is prying the sword from Enishi's grasp. I smile warmly. She   
doesn't want him to do anything he'll regret later. "Enishi only see   
sister die. You say you love her. Book say she love you. Why kill?" My   
smile softens even more. She sounds so blunt because of her limited   
knowledge of Japanese. Her eyes betray her abruptness though. She is   
trying to be as gentle as possible.  
  
"It was a trap. Tomoe was lured there as bait. The forest we were in   
prevented me from being able to predict my opponents moves through   
their ki. Each warrior I faced removed one of my senses. By the time I   
got to the…man behind the trap, I could sense nothing. Tomoe stepped   
between me and the attacker at the moment I made the killing blow meant   
for my opponent and only my opponent. It was an accident, that it was."   
Liya-dono seems satisfied with this answer. I think she has a bit of a   
warrior's spirit within her. Otherwise, she would never have survived   
the yakusa's treatment. She can tell that I'm not lying. Enishi is a   
different matter all together though.  
  
"I don't believe you. Why would 'Nee-san step between two opposing   
blades? She knew better. It doesn't make sense." He has every right to   
ask that. It doesn't make sense. I have often wondered why she did it.   
I lower my gaze. I don't know how to answer his question.  
  
"I don't know…why she did it." A tear escapes. It cascades down my   
scarred cheek to fall on my clenched fists. Kaoru silently steps into   
the meeting room. She diligently sets tea down in front of everyone as   
well as a small plate full of cakes. Liya-dono takes a relaxing sip of   
her cup. She is fearless of the menacing emotions coming from her   
lover.  
  
"Now, you have baby?" Enishi's murderous expression contorts into   
surprise. It seems he is as confused about the change in topic as I am.  
  
"Yes…" Kaoru tries to smile as she clutches her child. "His name is   
Kenji."  
  
Liya-dono smiles brightly. "He very handsome." The thick atmosphere in   
the room seems to lighten somewhat as the women exchange friendly   
conversation.  
  
To my astonishment, my wife scoots closer to the other woman. "Would   
you like to hold him?" Her voice shakes slightly as if she's not sure   
of her decision. This further proves how brave my wife is. Liya-dono   
seems surprised by her question as well, yet she still accepts.   
Enthusiastically, she opens her arms just wide enough to allow the   
newborn to be slipped into her grasp. Women and babies always make good   
men see the error of their violent ways.  
  
My eyes wander toward the other man. He is watching his lover hold my   
son, with tender eyes. There will be no fighting here with a scene   
like this present. "You will stay for dinner." I smile at his 'lost   
child' expression. My story will take a large toll on him. All of his   
ideals have been thrown away because he has heard the truth. Even if he   
doesn't entirely believe it, it will still have an impact on him.  
  
He nods to accept my offer. "Only if Liya helps cook." Kaoru's temper   
flares. She growls at him, but rethinks it. My smile grows as my child   
coos from Liya-dono's arms.  
  
* * *  
  
I blush and swallow my pride. I admit it. I'm a bad cook. It's not my   
fault that my father raised me. I didn't have a mother to teach me the   
essentials for being a proper woman. Liya is following me to the   
kitchen. Maybe she can teach me a little bit. I would like to learn how   
to cook before my son gets to be old enough to complain about it. "Just   
put him in the basket. We can let Kenshin watch him while we cook." She   
nods and adjusts the blankets before snuggling him into their depths.  
  
"Kenshin! Come and get Kenji!" I hear my husband stir from the meeting   
room. Soon, he comes to retrieve the basket. He's alone? He left Enishi   
to roam the house? No. I don't think he'd do that, especially when   
his…wife (?) is here. "So…" I chuckle nervously. "What are we going to   
make?"  
  
* * *  
  
"No Yahiko-chan! You have to do it like this!" She takes the piece of   
twine away from me and threads the bead. This is girly stuff! Boys   
don't do this! Why can't I do anything fun with her?! Maybe I can!  
  
"Come here Cho-chan! I wanna show you something!" Her eyes light up.   
Immediately, she ignores the beads and tries her best to catch up to   
me. I may not be teaching her real sword fighting, but at least it'll   
be more fun than making necklaces!  
  
* * *  
  
"Kaoru-san…slice radish. Do not murder radish." She brushes my hands   
aside and takes hold of the knife. "You teach sword. Yes?" I nod.   
"Good. Use that. Hold knife one hand. Firm hold. Hold radish one hand.   
Curl fingers so do not cut. Guide radish with hand. Guide knife with   
wrist. Steady knife with one finger. Yes?" Oh! I see! She smiles at me   
and hands me the knife. I guess it's my turn to try what she taught me.   
This seems so much easier now! I think I'm getting the hang of it!   
Liya giggles at me. I guess I need to practice a bit more. My slices   
are still uneven, but they do look a little better and it is easier to   
control the knife this way.  
  
She decided it would be best if I made something simple while she   
taught and fixed mistakes. Despite her choppy speech, she's a very good   
teacher mostly because she's so patient. Maybe that's why she can put   
up with Enishi. A woman would have to be patient to be involved with   
him. "Done!"  
  
"Good!" Her eyes scan over my recent attempts. She smiles. I can see   
the difference too. "Now, we make soup." It's another idea of hers. She   
thought soup would be easier to teach to a beginner like me. "Now, give   
small bowl." She pours sake into the bowl until it reaches about   
half-way. "Remember." I study the contents. "Now, give cup." She pours   
the sake into the cup. It reaches the very top. "See?" I see. She's   
showing me how to measure the amount I need. Now, she pours it into the   
pot. "See?" She smiles at my understanding expression as she washes her   
teaching tools. "Put in small things." She must mean all the small   
vegetables. I shyly touch the spices, vegetables, and other things that   
could be seen as small. She nods and shakes her head accordingly. I   
obey.  
  
"Smell." I do as I'm told. "What smell like?"  
  
"Um…I smell garlic and sake…and onions…and…"  
  
"Smell cold?" Cold? I guess so. Nothing's cooked, if that's what she   
means. I guess that's what it is. The scent is too raw. "Good. Now,   
wait." But how will we know if it's done if we don't hover over it and   
watch it? I suppose I should trust her. She's obviously a much better   
cook than I am. I shouldn't complain about it. "Do not worry. Soup good   
when wait long enough. You know it ready when it smell done." But what   
does it smell like when it's done?  
  
* * *  
  
I wrap my arms around Cho-chan from behind. "This is how you hold the   
stick Cho-chan." She smiles and tries to hold still. Obviously, this is   
nothing but a game to her, but that's okay. I'm learning how to teach.   
I'm going to have to teach students some day, I may as well practice   
now.  
  
"Don't you think she's a little young to learn sword techniques?" Dr.   
Gensai rubs his lower back as he takes a small breather. It's been a   
rough day for him. The new yakusa in town is really doing a lot of   
damage. "Yahiko-chan? Where's Onii-chan?"  
  
"I don't know. Didn't he come back last night?" She shakes her head and   
pouts. "I wouldn't worry about it. Ms. Tae probably let him stay with   
her family. He'll be back later." She seems satisfied by that answer,   
so I'll drop the subject. It does worry me a little though. Well, I'll   
give him until Liya-san comes back with Enishi. Maybe he'll be nice and   
look for his friend.  
  
"Okay…Now, swing it like this."  
  
* * *  
  
A warm aroma fills the room. I have no doubt in my mind that it's   
filled other rooms as well. "Now is it done?" Liya opens her eyes and   
smiles.  
  
"Very good, Kaoru-san." I did it?! Really!? "Now, we put in other   
things." The other vegetables? The bigger ones then? I guess so. Again,   
I point to the remaining spices and vegetables. As before, she nods and   
shakes her head accordingly. I do exactly what she directs me to do.   
"Stir. What feel like? What smell like?"  
  
My wooden spoon struggles to get all the spices mixed in with all the   
new, much larger contents. The spices smell cooked, but the bigger   
things smell too fresh. I can smell the difference. I couldn't before.   
I always just threw everything together and hoped it turned out okay.   
Obviously, it never did. This will be different though! "Now we wait   
again?" She smiles. I think I'm getting it!  
  
As she sits, she takes a long sip of her tea. "Where you meet Kenshin?"   
I blush at her sudden question. I suppose it would be nice to have   
another female friend around, even if she is 'with' Enishi. She's a   
very nice woman. I think we would enjoy each other's company. I smile   
as I nibble on a cake.  
  
"He just wandered in one day." I chuckle.  
  
"Just wander in?"  
  
"Yes. My father's dojo was being dishonored by two very bad men. I   
thought one was a friend, but the other killed openly and said he was   
the Battousai. Kenshin saved me and the dojo. That's when I found he   
was the real Battousai. He's been staying here ever since. What about   
you?" Now, it's her turn to blush. She sets down her cup of tea and   
stares at the floor.  
  
"I run from yakusa. Enishi speak Chinese. He help me. At night, he   
scream in sleep. I hold him like mother. He stop. Morning, he not like   
comfort. Elder make things right. Yakusa send note as threat. At night,   
Enish protect me. Things change." I think I understand what she said.   
It was very choppy; a little too simple. I guess Enishi's been   
protecting her from the beginning. Things were relatively innocent   
until just recently. Interesting.  
  
* * *  
  
"I still don't trust you." I give him a knowing smile. "I'll deal with   
it though. I think our women like each other, so I have no choice." He   
stares at me funny while I bluntly laugh. Idly, my finger strokes my   
son's face and hair. As if he's telling me to stop, he curls his tiny   
digits around the offending index finger.  
  
"As long as you stay the way you are now, I'm fine." Despite himself,   
he makes a sound that could be somewhere between a growl and a chuckle.   
"Have you given much thought to marrying Liya-dono?"  
  
"Yes. I want to wait until after this threat has passed." That's a wise   
decision. He's finally growing up. I think Liya-dono has done more for   
him than he realises. It's as if he's a completely different person now.   
I never would have imagined him voluntarily coming to my home to   
inquire about the truth of that day, even if he was 'voluntarily'   
dragged. I wonder how she convinced him to come.  
  
I look down to find Kenji sucking on my finger. He must be hungry. The   
food should be ready soon…I hope. I wonder how the women are doing.   
There haven't been any plumes of smoke coming from the kitchen yet.   
Liya-dono must have things under control.  
  
* * *  
  
Liya-san has begun to make fish while we wait for the soup to boil. I'm   
doing well with my simple task! This is actually exciting! I can make   
soup! Hopefully after a few more lessons, I can make a full meal.   
Wouldn't that be a surprise!? Kenshin having a good meal for once and I   
was the one to make the whole thing!?  
  
I watch diligently as Liya-chan heats up a pan on the grill. She shifts   
and tosses an assortment of mushrooms, onions, and other spices   
together by simply twitching her wrist. I wish I could do that. I   
suppose I can. I do have kendo training, which includes flipping a man   
with a twist of my wrists and the aide of his own sword. That might be   
a bit of an overkill when it comes to cooking, but I could probably use   
that knowledge to some extent.  
  
"Kaoru-san? You get paper ready?" Oh yeah! She said this was one of her   
favorite dishes. You put all this stuff and the fish inside a rolled   
piece of parchment. Then, you bake it. In our case, we're going to put   
them on the grill, but she said it'll be just as good. I can't wait to   
try it. It sounds really good and, from the look of it, really easy to   
make. I'm glad she let me watch her make it.  
  
I place a fish on the paper as she spoons a healthy amount of the   
mushroom stuff on top. Just as before, she smiles and shows me how to   
fold it. First, the other half of the paper is folded over the food.   
Then, the corners are tucked around it like one is crimping origami. It   
looks really professional. I bet her mother taught her how to do these   
kinds of things. I wish Father had been able to show me.  
  
Liya stands as she gathers the cat in her arms. "Now, we see soup."   
We're not going to watch the fish cook? Just to be thorough, I check   
the time to keep track. I won't be able to smell the fish from here, so   
I have no way of knowing if it's done.  
  
We step back into the kitchen. "Taste. Taste done?" Taste it? Isn't   
that rude to put your mouth all over the food before you serve it to   
everyone else? I shrug. She's the teacher. I get out a bowl. "No." She   
hands me a tiny saucer. "Only taste." I do as I'm told and sip at the   
broth a little bit. It's a little bland, but not by much.  
  
"Needs…It's bland…" She takes my saucer and tastes for herself. After   
nodding, she picks up the soy sauce. Only a few dribbles? She stirs and   
tries again before handing me the tasting saucer. It tastes good now.   
Amazing that it only took a little bit of the sauce to do the trick. I   
would have ruined it with way too much of the stuff. I guess the soup   
is done now. She takes it half off the heat. Now, all we need is the   
fish…which I guess is almost done because she's hurrying outside again.  
  
Carefully, she peals the paper of one of the bundles. With her finger,   
she prods the fish gently. "Please…Chopsticks?" I hand them to her. She   
prods again and seems satisfied. "Grill cook fish faster!" Really? No   
wonder all my grilled food tastes bad! I cook it too long! I must burn   
everything!  
  
"Go set table. I bring fish." Afraid of getting burned, she lifts the   
bundles off the grill with only two fingers and places them on a tray.   
With a proud smile, I return to the kitchen to admire the soup before   
setting myself to my chore.  
  
* * *  
  
Cho-chan's stick flies through the air. Her grip isn't very firm. It   
travels until it hits a small rodent that's hiding in the trees. The   
brown thing falls to the ground stunned. I burst out laughing as   
Cho-chan starts to cry. "Agh! Don't cry! It'll be okay!"  
  
"It will?" She sniffles, unsure whether to believe me or not. I smile   
and wink. Her face brightens at that.  
  
"I'll go get your sword back for you. Okay?" Enthusiastically, she   
nods. "Stay here!" I call over my shoulder as I run to retrieve the   
stick-made-sword. A scream?! I turn to see two men grabbing for   
Cho-chan. "Hey!" I tighten my grip on my shinai and bolt into action.   
Are these guys from the yakusa? "Get away from her!"  
  
"Shut up kid!" I step between them. One man tries to strike me as if   
I'm just as easy to beat as Cho-chan. Immediately, my shinai comes into   
contact with his hand. The idiot growls with pain. "Okay brat! Now   
you're mine!" Seemingly out of nowhere, he produces a sword. No   
problem. I've dealt with this before. Does he think I'm such a weak   
little kid that a stupid hidden sword can scare me!? Ha! Think again!  
  
I leap into the air only to hear another scream from Cho-chan. There   
were more than two guys here!? Where did he come from?! It doesn't   
matter! He has Cho-chan! I try to turn before I land, but it doesn't   
work and I find myself on the ground. I wince. Someone just sliced open   
my shoulder. I try to block, but I'm severely outnumbered now. There   
are ten men around me. Cho-chan is nowhere in sight. Now, they're just   
out for fun. They're not going to get me that easily!  
  
I roll out of the way of another attack. They're closing the circle on   
me! I have to get out of the circle! I'm a goner if I lose all my ways   
out! I have to find Cho-chan! It may not be too late! "Cho-chan!?" No   
sound! Not even a scream! Don't panic! It won't help anything if I   
panic! I dodge more blows and thrust my shinai at something near me.   
Dirt was just kicked in my eyes. I can't see! Saitou was right. Guys   
like this don't fight fair.  
  
* * *  
  
"Ha! This is what happens when you go against us Enishi!" Another   
cannon is fired upon Rakuminmura. People run screaming. The sanctuary   
is being demolished. I take a whiff of my bottle of white plum perfume.   
What would my daughter do? Ah, I think I know. I must find help.  
  
"Where you goin' old man!?" I've been spotted? Stopping in my tracks, I   
don't even dare to turn around. "Who said you could leave?" I hear a   
few snickers and the sound of metal against metal as if someone is   
removing a sword from its sheath. I can't be killed. I have to find   
help. The people of this village don't deserve to have more terror   
given to them.  
  
I close my eyes and pray for a miracle. Suddenly, the sword is brought   
down.  
  
* * *  
  
Author's Notes:  
  
Don't try to make the soup I had Koaru make. I just needed a way for  
the two women to bond. In fact, I'm sorry for all of you who are good  
cooks. This soup probably wouldn't be very edible. The fish dish,  
however, is one of my favorite recipies. It's very good.  
  
Well, that's it from me! I hope this was a good chapter!! Things will  
be heating up now! And I have no idea how to continue, so please bear  
with me! I may be a bit slow on posting. Thank you for reading!! 


	17. Chapter 17 (long awaited!)

Chapter 17  
  
"Get up old man." Did I kill him when I pushed him out of the way? I   
roll my eyes. No. He's still breathing, just scared. "Tell me what   
happened?"  
  
Slowly, his eyes open. He looks around until his attention rests on me.   
"You're…police?" I nod curtly and offer him my hand. "Please,   
Rakuminmura needs help." Another cannon shot tells me the obvious   
details of his request.  
  
"I take it you want Enishi's help." The old man's eyes light up. "He is   
with Kenshin Himura. I will take you there."  
  
* * *  
  
"You made the whole thing!?" Kaoru-san nods at her husband. He returns   
her smile and kisses her cheek. How cute!  
  
"Well, Liya-san made the fish and I made the soup. She taught me, but I   
did almost everything!" Enishi watches as Kenji gurgles next to him. I   
decided it would be good for him to sit next to the baby, even if it   
makes Kaoru-san slightly uncomfortable. I think the little one actually   
likes his uncle. Yes. Enishi is the child's uncle, despite the fact   
that Kenshin is his former brother-in-law. These people are   
family…technically. Enishi should keep that in mind.  
  
I cast my eyes back to Kenshin and Kaoru-san. He is whispering in her   
ear as his eyes dart to Enishi who's finger has nonchalantly turned   
into Kenji's plaything. The couple bicker with their eyes before the   
husband finally wins. Nervously, Kaoru-san smiles at the man beside me.   
Her hands shake as she gently picks up her son. "W-would you like to   
hold him?"  
  
Enishi stares at the woman with disbelief. "Are you sure?" She   
hesitates before nodding. I smile at the ex-demon's sudden nervousness.   
I doubt he's ever held a baby before. As would be expected, he doesn't   
know where to put his hands. Giggling, I help him while the child is   
put into his embrace. As soon as the precious weight is given to him,   
his eyes glisten with wonder. I imagine the world no longer exists for   
him. He is engrossed with the baby.  
  
Kenji coos and yawns causing Enishi to smile gently. Kaoru-san seems   
satisfied by the rare smile. She sits more comfortably, sighing with   
relief. Did she think that Enishi would hurt an innocent child? He is   
but a child at heart. Why would he hurt his own kind?  
  
The baby makes a whimper before he begins to cry. Like a typical man,   
Enishi looks toward Kaoru-san asking to be relieved of his charge. The   
woman is only too eager to heed to his silent request, until Kenshin's   
hand stops her. The red-head smiles and waits. Seeing the other man's   
reaction, Enishi snarls and tries to settle the child on his own. He   
pats the boy's back. Within seconds, the crying stops as tiny,   
brilliantly blue eyes stare at his uncle's surprised face. "You will be   
a good father Enishi." A glare meets a small smile.  
  
"Baby go to good people. Already, you good father. You like father to   
Cho-chan." Enishi smiles at me before he lets Kaoru-san take back her   
child.  
  
* * *  
  
"Brat…What happened?" I kneel next to the boy. He winces and tries to   
sit up. The yakusa must have done this to him. Blood is soaking the   
grass next to the clinic. Why hasn't anyone come out to get him yet?   
Did the men make sure to beat him silently so that no one would know   
about it?  
  
"They took Cho-chan…I couldn't…" Despite the obvious pain, he clenches   
his eyes shut as if trying not to cry. "They don't fight fair!" Now the   
water works begin. I know they don't fight fair. I tried to teach you   
that last year, but you didn't listen. Did you. My hand instinctively   
travels to my pocket to take out a cigarette. Now is not the time. Too   
gently for my nature, I pick the kid up and carry him inside the clinic   
as the old man silently follows.  
  
* * *  
  
The men enjoy a cup of tea as Liya-san and I do the dishes. At least   
they're tolerating each other. I think Enishi is forcing it though   
because the two of us are becoming friends. Now that I think of it,   
it's very kind of him to want Liya-san to be my friend. I would think   
he'd be against it seeing as Kenshin is his enemy. Of course, he was   
quite nice to me while I was cooped up on that island. He made sure I   
was comfortable. The cupboards were always full; the bath was always   
ready when I needed it. With the exception of that one physical threat,   
he never touched me. Sometimes, we even had small conversations.   
Nothing but strained small talk of course, but they were still   
conversations.  
  
Something's coming. I look up in time to see a small dart hit the strip   
of wall just below the window in front of me. "Kaoru-san!" There is a   
piece of parchment attached to it. "Poison dart…" Liya carefully,   
removes the paper from the tiny weapon. Her hands are shaking.  
  
"Wait!" She's already gone. I run after her. Kenshin might have to   
fight again. I don't want him to fight. I don't think his body is up to   
that kind of pressure anymore. Like Megumi-san said, Hiten-misturugi   
ryuu is wearing his muscle and bones down. If he has to fight another   
major battle, he might not survive!  
  
* * *  
  
"Enishi! Read!" A parchment is thrust into my hand. It has the same   
painting as before, but there is an added feature. The tiger has cubs,   
which have also been slaughtered. I let my senses intensify hoping to   
catch the one who sent this. Whoever they were, they left already.  
  
"I offer you a trade, Tang Mu. Either you serve us, or your friends   
will. I wonder how well the children will do at pleasuring my men.  
  
With love-- Michio"  
  
"They have taken over Rakuminmura." Everyone looks up to see Oibore and   
Saitou stepping into the room. "It seems they still have the cannon you   
sold them." No, not the village. I clench my fist crumpling the message   
in the process. If Liya doesn't return to them, they'll make Cho-chan   
and whoever else they have do the same jobs Liya had to do.  
  
"They have Cho, Kaemon, Tsubame, and Tae." They took them all!? I doubt   
they're as kind of captors as I was to Battousai's woman. Slamming my   
fist on the table, I stand. I have to do something, that much is   
obvious. What do I do though? Onee-san? Can you help me? I can't see   
her! She's making me do this on my own?!  
  
"Enishi…I go…" Is she serious?! She knows what they'll make her do.   
After all this time that she's been recovering, she's going to give up   
that easily?! Never! I won't allow it. I grab her wrist as she rises.   
She's not going anywhere.  
  
"I won't let you go back to them. I'm not letting you give up that   
easily." I let her go and retrieve my sword from under the table. I   
have to correct this mistake. They don't deserve my weapons anymore.   
So, they're stationed in Rakuminmura now? They better not get too   
comfortable then.  
  
* * *  
  
Author's Notes:  
  
I know the baby part was cheesy and pointless, but it was a cute idea  
that I just had to put in. I hope Enishi is still in character for it.  
  
Sorry for taking so long on posting!!! I've been so busy moving into a  
new place, starting a new job, and taking summer classes that I haven't  
been able to do much in the way of writing. I hope I'm staying true to  
what I was writing at the beginning of this story. It's been so long  
since I've written anything for it that I'm worried that I've lost the  
tone. *shrug* Oh well, guess I'll find out when you guys give me  
reviews. 


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18  
  
"Shouldn't we think this through first!?" I watch as Enishi takes out   
his blade and examines it with confidence. Liya is spouting something   
in Chinese while trying to pry the weapon from his grasp. Nearly   
possessed with his rage, the man forcibly controls himself so as not to   
throw her away from him.  
  
"No. I'm going now." He shoves the woman off of him and steps toward   
me. "I'm assuming you're coming with us." I nod curtly. I am the police   
after all. My job is to catch these bastards as his job is to defeat   
them. Besides, they are evil and evil must be vanquished.  
  
"I'll go too." With sidelong glares, Enishi and I notice Battousai   
stand as his hand menacingly touches his sword's hilt. He always puts   
the world on his shoulders like this. It's as if he thinks he's the   
only one who should be allowed to risk his life. That's not going to   
happen this time. He has a family now. Of course, I have a family as   
well, but that's not the point.   
  
"No. You have a family to protect, Battousai. Besides, this isn't your   
fight." Violet eyes glare at me. His hand grips the hilt of his sword   
more firmly. "I suggest taking your wife and child to the clinic so   
that you can watch over the brat as well. The yakusa won't be happy   
that we are accompanying the woman to her meeting. They will likely   
attack. I'm surprised you didn't think of that. Married life has made   
you weak, Battousai." I sneer at my adversary's growl.  
  
Frowning, Enishi holds out his hand to his woman. "Let's go. We're   
wasting time." Nervously, she does as he says. "I will explain along   
the way. It's not safe here anymore."  
  
* * *  
  
"Don't touch her!" I strike out at a random goon. He is not going to   
touch Tsubame! Ms. Tae was bad enough! Luckily, they just beat her…Ha!   
Just beat her! How often is someone happy someone was simply beaten!?   
She's now unconscious in my lap. I guess she looked too old to them.   
Animals! They're all a bunch of animals!   
  
"Oh? And what are you gonna do if we take the girl with us? Huh? Beat   
us to death?" They begin laughing hysterically. Tsubame is crying.   
They're fingering her hair as I try to kick at them.  
  
"Hold on to me Tsubame-chan!" She clutches to my arm while the men   
tauntingly grab at her feet.  
  
"Come on little one." They tickle her ankles making her scream.  
  
"I told you to get away from her!" I kick one in the face as hard as I   
can.  
  
"Aww. The big man is protecting his women!" They laugh. The one I   
kicked rubs the blood off his lip and sneers. Like hyenas surrounding   
prey, they hysterically laugh as they taunt and pick at the girls I'm   
trying to protect. It's obvious. They're just toying with us. At any   
time, they could get serious and do even more damage. "Or would you   
rather we take the other one!"  
  
"Onii-chan!!" I lunge after my sister. Ms. Tae's head thumps onto the   
floor. She opens her eyes and screams at the sight of all the men   
surrounding us. My sister is being dragged away! No! I disregard the   
pain surging through my body. I was beaten badly and I have a hangover,   
but I don't care! They aren't taking her anywhere!  
  
"Cho! Get away from her! Don't touch her!" I drag myself onto my knees.   
Wounds reopen. Cho tries to wiggle her way out of the hands holding   
her. I throw myself at the men.  
  
* * *  
  
"We will openly go with you. I'm not going to hide. There's no point in   
faking my presence. They know I'm already going to come." I drag Liya   
along with me. It's hurting her that I'm treating her so roughly, but   
we need to hurry. There's no telling what those bastards are doing to   
the girls they kidnapped. I narrow my eyes and go faster.  
  
"What will they do if I'm not alone?" They shouldn't do anything. They   
know I'm going. They also know I intend to fight. There is no doubt in   
my mind that Michio has thought of everything. In fact…My senses   
heighten. There are several men watching us. Yes. We're on our way. Go   
tell your boss…  
  
"Nothing. He's expecting you to have guests." Saitou snorts at this   
comment.  
  
* * *  
  
"Dr. Gensai, I suggest all of your patients stay inside at all times.   
There might be some fighting going on outside. I don't want anyone   
getting hurt." I hold my baby close and watch Yahiko breathe. He was   
very badly beaten. How did they manage to do it so silently that no one   
heard it? "Kaoru? Try to stay calm. They probably won't attack for a   
while. Most likely, as soon as their boss is defeated or when they   
think they have an advantage. Okay?"  
  
Kenshin kisses my forehead. He's just as scared as me. I can tell by   
the gold flecks in his eyes and the authority in his voice. Whatever   
soothing words he tells me, we'll both still be frightened. I won't let   
these bastards win though. I can fight too. I don't care how protective   
my husband is. They won't expect me to fight. The yakusa seem to think   
of women as weak little playthings. They forget that we're also   
warriors. Even Liya, in her own way, is a fighter. How else did she   
survive these men? I will fight.  
  
I hand Dr. Gensai my child and take the bokken off the strap upon my   
back. Kenshin stares at me in shock. "Kaoru! What are-"  
  
"I'm fighting too." I thrust my bokken at his face to stop him from   
talking. "I'm fighting."  
  
* * *  
  
"Take this. You will need to protect yourself." We're still running to   
Rakuminmura. There is a dagger being thrust in front of me. I take it   
with an, "arigatou…" It's a very small dagger. Most likely, it could   
fit in my hair. Unfortunately, I can't do that right now. Instead, I   
carefully hide it in my cleavage.  
  
Suddenly, we stop. I nearly run into Enishi from behind. My jaw drops.   
Plumes of smoke rise from the destroyed shacks. They must have used the   
cannon. Tears threaten to fall from my eyes. I immediately swipe that   
them. I won't give Michio the satisfaction of seeing me cry.  
  
Bodies litter the ground. All of them are men. My mind wanders to what   
the women must be going through. This is all because of me. If only I   
hadn't run away! None of this would be happening if I were still   
serving these animals. No! I won't think like that! This is their   
fault. I want to know. Why are they so obsessed with this? Why do they   
want revenge against my father so badly that they will reduce   
themselves to doing these things? Why!?  
  
I feel my nostrils flare. Enishi takes a step forward as if he is going   
to call to Michio. No! I will be the one to call him out! I have had   
enough! "Michio! You come here!" I step away from the two men   
accompanying me. Enishi isn't too sure about my separation. I can tell   
by the occasional darting glances and the shifting of his feet. Saitou   
looks impressed. Apparently, he thought I was just a weak little   
female. On the contrary, I do have a back bone.  
  
It looks like I was heard. Michio comfortably makes his way out of the   
sturdy shack that Enishi once used as a look out. He lazily adjusts his   
navy blue suit while smiling triumphantly at me. Regarding the men   
behind me, he raises his eyebrow mockingly, yet intelligently keeps his   
distance. "I see you made it."  
  
"You sick bastard…" Yes. I caught Enishi saying the word a few days   
ago. He forgot about how quickly I catch onto things. "You not deserve   
life. I kill you." A loud deep laugh rumbles from Michio's gut. He   
doesn't believe me. He still thinks I'm weak and fragile. That will be   
his downfall. Never underestimate an angry woman.  
  
"Is that what these two are here for? You couldn't possibly kill me   
yourself. You lack the strength and the means." He continues to   
chuckle. Is he trying to intimidate me? The corners of my mouth twitch.   
Now, he is intimidated. I nearly missed the slight widening of his   
eyes. He's good at hiding his weaknesses, but obviously not good   
enough.  
  
"You think your men not try get me when you not looking?" He smiles,   
amused. "I still pure. I have way to fight. Father teach." His eyes   
narrow slightly. He can't keep his poker face forever. He's curious of   
my abilities at least. I was with the yakusa too long. I can think   
sadistically as well.  
  
"I wouldn't be so cocky if I were you. Your protection left." I take   
the time to look around me. Enishi and Saitou are no where to be found.   
I am alone. That's fine. This is my fight. They have to find Cho-chan   
and the others. Michio takes a step towards me as I return my glare to   
his grinning face. "You're very sure of yourself Tang Mu. I like that   
in a woman."  
  
Men seemingly come out of nowhere. They leave themselves wide open   
thinking I'm an easy target. That I'm really all talk. Michio watches   
me intently. By the serious look on his face, I can tell he's still   
curious about how I can possibly fight. It's not time to show you yet.   
The men's hands are on me now. By the look in their eyes, I have been   
easily caught.  
  
"Why didn't you fight them, Tang Mu? If you're such a great fighter." I   
never said I was a great fighter. I said I could fight and have fought.   
Condescending fingers trace my jaw line in the same way they did when I   
was first caught the night my family was murdered. "Take her to the   
headquarters. Have the women prepare her. Enishi and the chief will   
already know where we are taking her. Try to stall them as best you   
can. Use your numbers, the weapons, and the hostages to your advantage.   
Oh yes, and bring the two little girls as well. Have them prepared.   
They will be a tasty treat."  
  
I struggle in the men's grasp. They wouldn't dare to touch the   
children! Wait! Yes they would! The way these men think: The younger   
the better!! No!!! By the gods, not the children! Please! My   
indifference only makes them snicker. They're like wild dogs playing   
with a stunned rodent!  
  
I will not let these men intimidate me! If I let them take me to the   
headquarters, I can get close to Michio and kill him. I can use   
pressure points to paralyze him and use the dagger to finish the job.   
That's what I can do. He won't see it coming.  
  
With that, I generically struggle. If I go too willingly, they will   
know something is going to happen. Not that they would feel threatened,   
but they would be aware. I don't want them to have any clue as to what   
I'm going to do to their boss. Won't that just utterly confuse them!   
Their little plaything isn't as weak as they thought she was.  
  
* * *  
  
Ooo, Things are heating up!! *hears a war cry off in the distance.* I  
hope I made the bad guys evil enough for all of you. Just reading it to  
myself makes me want to jump into the story's world to kick some ass.  
Hee hee!! *brandishes her shinai...bokken is on stand-by*  
  
Well, I hope you like it so far!! Thanks for still reading my fic  
everybody!!! 


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19  
  
Cho-chan! I can see a man with the kicking and screaming child slung   
over his shoulder. He is accompanied by other men who are poking her as   
if she is a juicy piece of meat. How dare they! My eyes dart to Liya.   
She's survived these men countless numbers of times. She'll be alright,   
yet I don't want to leave her. Saitou won't go and save the little girl   
though. He has no reason to. I'll have to do it.  
  
I give Liya one last look before I take off. They won't touch Cho-chan!   
I'll make them pay! I leap in front of the sneering men. "Get your   
hands off her."  
  
They stop. With frightened eyes, they hover around the man carrying the   
girl. "What are you gonna do about it!? Huh?" Are they trying to be   
tough? I lock my jaw and remove my sword from its cloth sheath.  
  
"Don't make me say it again."  
  
* * *  
  
This personal battle between Liya, Enishi, and this yakusa is not my   
concern. I am here to take down the boss and the weapons. Therefore,   
the woman will have to find her own way out of this. Another cannon   
shot is fired. I will deal with the boss later. For now, I must take   
down the one firing the cannon.   
  
Without looking back, I race toward the sound of the weapon. Enishi is   
threatening a group of men who have taken a small child hostage. I can   
only guess that this is Cho. The men holding her are already scared of   
the 'white tiger'. They will be easily beaten.  
  
I pass them as the cannon is fired once more. A shack near me blasts   
apart. I leap out of the way and continue on.  
  
* * *  
  
"You can't do anything to us when we have the kid!" My eyes narrow as   
my sister appears above the bastards. She smiles for me. I love seeing   
her smile. The corners of my mouth twitch into an evil smirk. I am   
suddenly surrounded, as is the man carrying the child. It's almost odd   
to see that the same tactic is being used for two totally different   
purposes. No matter. They will all die.  
  
I raise my sword until it is level with my eyes. My sneer widens. These   
men are scared of me. Good. They better be. I crouch into my familiar   
stance while two fingers point to the tip of my blade. Considering this   
to be a defensive move, they charge me like the idiots they are. Thus,   
they fall directly into my trap. From my position, I thrust myself onto   
my left foot and spin. Like a tornado, I devour most of my opponents.  
  
"Watoujutsu Sen Ran Tou Sei…sort of…" My eyebrow quirks as I finish my   
thought. That was much too easy. Blood runs over the ground as the men   
slowly die. Go to hell…  
  
"Enishi-nii…?" I divert my eyes from the carnage to see the defense   
circle still up. However, it has certainly weakened…as well it should.  
  
"Do I have to ask again?" I ask as I adjust my sunglasses. Foolishly,   
they hold their worthless swords ready for my attack. "Insects…" My   
eyes narrow again as I step toward them.  
  
"S-step any closer and the girl dies!" Cho-chan screams my name as one   
of the weapons I produced is brought to her throat.  
  
"You were speaking?" The man stares wide-eyed at the spot I once was   
before turning to see me directly behind him. He barely has time to   
mutter a gasp before I slice him across his torso using his body to   
shield the deed from Cho-chan's watchful eyes. I don't want her to see   
me kill, otherwise I would have decapitated him. As he falls to the   
ground, I swipe the blood off my sword in an attempt to keep the child   
somewhat innocent. "Hand over the girl."  
  
Without thinking of the one over his shoulder, the man instinctively   
falls to his knees. Meanwhile, I grab Cho-chan by her kimono ripping   
her from the man's grasp. Men lunge at us. "Don't be so eager to die!"   
I swipe at them weakly so that they can avoid it. My charge is crying   
against my neck. She clings to my shirt as if letting go could end her   
life. I would normally be more than happy to kill all of them. They   
certainly deserve it. Well, that will come later I suppose.  
  
Turning, I catch a glimpse of Liya. How many men are in this yakusa!?   
Several are nearly dragging her out of the village. Suddenly to my   
right however, I hear another scream. Tsubame is being taken?! Who do I   
go to?! Who do I help!? I take a step toward Liya only to hear the   
other girl cry out. Onee-san, What do I do!?  
  
Wait. Liya's movements. They're very mechanical for someone who should   
be struggling for her life. The men don't seem to notice however. She   
has something up her sleeve. I look back toward where Tsubame is   
struggling. My sister smiles. I will go this way.   
  
* * *  
  
I carry the bucket out of Yahiko's recovery room and head toward the   
well. My sakabatou and cross scar are in plain sight so that anyone   
hoping to attack will become frightened. This once, I will use my   
nickname to my advantage. Yes. Battousai is protecting this clinic.   
Anyone who chooses to fight will be severely wounded.  
  
"Kenshin…" I dump the stale water beside the well and turn to face my   
wife. She is holding Kenji again as he suckles his mother's finger.   
"Have you seen anything amiss?" I shake my head.   
  
"No. I don't feel anything either." I finish drawing fresh water and   
walk with Kaoru back into the clinic. After dropping the bucket off   
with the doctor, we venture into an empty room.  
  
"What did you and Enishi discuss while Liya-san and I were making   
dinner today?" I knew she would ask about that. We make ourselves   
comfortable, Kaoru with her back against the wall in the corner and I   
on the opposite side of the same corner. My lips twist into a gentle   
smile. I love watching my wife feed our son. There is nothing more   
beautiful and content than a woman giving nourishment to her own child.  
  
She loosens her kimono bringing forth her bosom. As she makes shushing   
noises, she coaxes Kenji to feed. Her eyes close half-way when he   
begins his meal. I can't help but run my fingers through my son's hair,   
which has become as red as my own. When he was born, the locks were as   
dark as Kaoru's. It seems like only yesterday that I was holding him in   
my arms for the first time.  
  
The little one really scared me back then. His eyes were as golden as   
the hitokiri's. I'm glad they have changed to look like his mother's. I   
shift my attention to Kaoru. She is watching me. "Are you going to   
watch me breast feed? Or are you going to answer my question…?" I smile   
and rub her knee causing her to smirk. She is teasing me.  
  
"We didn't say much. I found out that he is planning on marrying   
Liya-dono as soon as this is over. He also plans on tolerating me since   
the two of you seem to be getting along so well." Kaoru lets out a sigh   
of relief. What was she thinking we discussed?  
  
"I'm glad to hear that. He really has changed. Hasn't he?" She gives   
Kenji a break from his dinner. I fix a small towel in front of my son's   
spit range as she sits him up on her knee. Really, she could do it   
herself, but I like being a part of my son's daily routine.  
  
"Aa." I say with an amused grin. She alternates between rubbing and   
patting the baby's back until he produces a sound that Sanosuke would   
deem healthy and manly. "Have you heard anything from Sanosuke?"  
  
Kaoru gives me an odd look. "No…What brought this question on?"  
  
"Hearing Kenji just now reminded me of our old friend. That's all." I   
shrug and smile as I wipe the milk from my son's mouth. She shakes her   
head and allows the bundle in her arms to continue his meal.  
  
* * *  
  
"I believe that belongs to me now." The yakusa members surrounding the   
giant, yet portable, weapon turn slowly to see my glowering face. They   
gasp and freeze like a group of children who have been caught doing   
something naughty. Perhaps that isn't so far from the truth. They do   
look young, yet no less guilty.  
  
A few of them, in their fear, take up their swords. "How pathetic to   
see children so eager to die." To mock them, I light up a cigarette.   
Sure enough, they snarl at me as the rest offensively brandish their   
weapons. Custom swords…They must have gotten these from Enishi. This   
whole battle, if one could call it that, is strangely ironic   
considering the fact that the weapons dealer is fighting to defeat his   
own weapons.  
  
I take a long drag of my cigarette reveling in the nicotine buzz   
running through my veins. My eyes narrow as the 'children' approach me.   
Are they trying to be menacing? They're not very good at it. I drop my   
half-done cigarette and grind it into the dirt. "You w-won't be talking   
like that for long, you bastard!" I roll my eyes. Barely raising my   
hand, I knock each one out. It's not worth killing such amateurs.  
  
* * *  
  
"Cho-chan…" I race toward Tsubame as the little girl continues to cry   
in the crook of my neck. "Cry as much as you want, but do it from my   
back. I still have to fight." She doesn't even acknowledge my words.   
"Hold on tight!" She heard that. Her tiny arms clutch to my neck.  
  
"What do you plan to do with the kid attached to you!?" The men holding   
Tsubame laugh hysterically. It will be difficult to fight with my   
charge clinging to me for dear life, but I have no choice. I'm not   
putting her down.  
  
"Keep your eyes closed Cho-chan…" I whisper as I glare at the yakusa   
members before me. Don't these morons know anything better to do than   
to put a sword to a child's throat? This is getting old. I take a step   
forward only to see a trickle of blood stain Tsubame's flesh. My eyes   
narrow.  
  
I am once again surrounded, as is the man holding the one I am trying   
to save. The move is almost cliché now. Unfortunately, I can't do the   
same solution I came up with last time. Cho-chan is traumatized as it   
is. I don't want to risk it. What do I do Onee-san? "Take a step and   
the girl gets it!"  
  
I raise my eyebrow and adjust my glasses. So, I can't take a step. Is   
that it? What about the others? Can they take a step? "All of you are   
so pathetic. Taking a girl hostage and using her as a shield. You call   
yourselves men?" This is too easy. I've never reduced myself to making   
such lowlifes come at me. To make things even more humorous, they're   
falling for it. "You rile up too easily. You have such feeble control   
over your own temper. You're not even worth my time." They're growls   
turn into snarls. Several swords point at me as if I should be feeling   
threatened.  
  
"Fools…" In preparation for my attack, I point the tip of my tachi   
toward the ground. They charge me. As the first man approaches, I swing   
my sword upwards and kick the reverse side of my blade. The sudden   
movement causes Cho-chan to scream and wail as the force of my attack   
causes every man opposing me to fly backwards. Most of them have died   
from the impact. A few have merely been rammed. This includes the one   
holding Tsubame, who crashes to the ground as he is hit by one of his   
comrades. The girl slams down onto the earth and rolls away from her   
captor.  
  
"Watoujutsu Shuugeki Tou Sei…" I hover over the men as I offer my new   
charge a hand. "Come." She hesitates. Her eyes dart to the blood   
staining the dirt surrounding her. Lips trembling, tears fall down her   
cheek. I gesture with my fingers once again in an effort to get her to   
move. Liya has been taken…and I'm not taking these two with me when I   
go to free her. "I will take you to the clinic where Battousai can   
protect you." She nods and struggles to rise. Her body is weak from the   
trauma of this situation.  
  
"Kaemon-kun and Ms. Tae are being held in the middle building." I nod.  
  
"They're taking Liya to some abandoned mansion not far from here!"   
Speak of the devil…Kaemon guides a bleeding Tae toward us. "We'll take   
the children to the clinic. You need to get Liya."  
  
"No. You are in no condition to protect three people. I will take you.   
Liya will be able to survive long enough for me to come to her."   
  
* * *  
  
I'm nearly thrown into a small room. My eyes lower to the floor causing   
the men to laugh. "Come on guys. The girls should be here soon to primp   
her up." All of them exit the thick door, except for one.  
  
"Welcome back Tang Mu." He approaches me to smack me across the face.   
My cheek stings from the impact. I can already feel the bruise forming.   
"That's for struggling." Crouching beside me, he runs his middle finger   
along my jaw line.  
  
"I think I should give you a proper welcome right now. What do ya say?"   
He runs his finger across my lips. "Huh?" A tear slides down my cheek.   
He smiles and leans closer. "Come on Tang Mu. Show me the old you." My   
lip quivers as he non-too-gently takes my hand and places it on his   
pants. I close my eyes and force myself to sensuously press the already   
growing bulge. With disgust, I smile and allow my other hand to join   
the first. It traces the clothed contours of his chest as it travels   
upwards. There. The familiar thump of his heart vibrates against my   
hand. I almost peacefully close my eyes and breath according to the   
rhythm set by his beating heart. Ignoring the moans coming from his   
lips, I concentrate on the tempo emanating from his chest. With as much   
patience as I can muster, I wait for the perfect time to strike. This   
man has tried to take me before. I will show him no mercy. I thrust my   
trained index and middle fingers against the soft bone located in the   
middle of his upper body. Gasping, his body spasms before going limp.  
  
"Gui Shou Ke Xiong…" I whisper to myself. Dead weight falls upon me,   
but I don't mind. The dead can't use me for their sick pleasure. I push   
the man off of me and stand. Briefly, my eyes look over the young man.   
Seeing the peaceful look on his face, I almost feel sorry for him.   
Then, I recall the way he forced me to the ground a year ago. He barely   
managed to rip the clothes from my body before I was able to render him   
unconscious with my father's teachings. I still have scars on my legs   
from where he clawed at my skirt. They still itch as if they are in the   
process of healing. Perhaps now they will fully heal.  
  
* * *  
  
Author's Notes:  
  
I told you Liya could fight!!  
  
I used a technique called Dim Mak as the basis of Liya's form of  
self-defense. It's a martial art that uses pressure points to render  
a victim motionless, unconscious, or no longer of the living. I also  
found out what goes into making Dim Mak deadly.  
  
If someone presses a certain part of the body that is connected to a  
main artery right at the moment between heart beats, a person's heart  
will stop beating.  
  
I used two web sites for this information:  
  
http://martialarts.about.com/library/weekly/aa033102c.htm  
  
http://www.goldlion.com.au/dim_mak/courses/master_class.html  
  
As far as the "move name" goes. I have no idea if that sounds okay.  
I know it's sort of a rule that a character has a name for all their  
moves, especially in Rurouni Kenshin...so I thought I'd make some up  
for Liya. I hope it turned out okay.  
  
The deadly techniques of Dim Mak are often referred to as "Ghost Hands",  
so I thought I'd play on that a bit for the name of the 'move'.  
  
First off, let's review the tones:  
  
first tone (1) -- straight tone (like a baby doll saying, "mama.")  
second tone (2) -- upward tone (like asking a question)  
third tone (3) -- down and up tone (like whining)  
fourth tone (4) -- downward tone (forcefull, like you're angry)  
fifth tone ( ) -- by not having a specific tone, it has a tone.  
  
gui(3) -- (gway) ghost  
  
shou(3) -- (show) hand  
  
ke(4) -- (kuh) to strike  
  
xiong(1) -- (ssheeong) chest  
  
I know it's stupid, but I couldn't think of anything else. If anyone  
has anything cooler (preferably in Chinese), I would be more than  
happy to accept it.  
  
Thanks for hanging in there and reading all of my fic!!! 


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